Make A Difference Dingley Village is really living up to its name – making an impact by sharing FareShare meals and homegrown vegetables with people in need.
The welcoming space in the outer southeastern suburbs of Melbourne has been providing support to people doing it tough for 40 years.
Make A Difference Dingley Village (MADDV) Volunteer Coordinator Marion Harriden said they were supporting 60 – 70 people each week through their food relief program, as well as offering other support services.
“We’re called Make a Difference because that’s what we do and we are determined to continue to make a difference.”
Marion, Make A Difference Dingley Village Volunteer Coordinator
Marion with FareShare meal recipient and MADDV volunteer Giuseppe
The MADDV food program offers FareShare meals, rescued fruit and vegetables, frozen food, bread, pantry items and grocery vouchers to people in their community facing hardship.
Marion said they were grateful to receive deliveries of FareShare meals through SecondBite.
“We are delighted that we can open the freezer and find these lovely meals from FareShare and people are very happy,” Marion said.
SecondBite driver Ellie delivers FareShare meals to Giuseppe at MADDV, who stacks them in the centre’s freezer ready for their food relief program.
To compliment their food relief program, MADDV also has a flourishing vegetable garden – growing produce for them to share with people who come for food relief.
FareShare meal recipient Giuseppe noticed the centre’s garden was in need of some love when he came needing help with food, so he quickly volunteered his time to help get it established.
“Giuseppe saw that we were attempting to establish a garden and quite obviously this was his interest…he threw himself into it well and truly and it’s now really successful.” Marion said.
Giuseppe said the garden had helped give him a purpose at a very challenging time in his life.
For 12 years, Giuseppe ran his own successful business, signwriting and designing.
Things were going well until his dad died. He lost his business and was living in his Dad’s house as it was ready to be sold.
Then the house burnt down and he ended up camping in the backyard of the property for 9 months.
Struggling to afford nutritious food, he then had two heart attacks.
“That was rock bottom for me” Giuseppe said.
He eventually moved to a caravan park, but he was struggling, and often hungry.
So, he made his way to Make A Difference Dingley Village to access FareShare meals, food and vouchers through their food relief program.
“I was just like everyone else queuing up just for a voucher and for some food.”
Giuseppe, Make A Difference Dingley Village food recipient and volunteer
It was while lining up for food support that Giuseppe noticed the community garden at the back of MADDV needed some love and he asked Marion if he could help care for it.
“I couldn’t help myself,” he laughs. “Not many times you get given a backyard full of garden beds and an opportunity to give back!”
Giuseppe’s Dad was Sicilian and grew lots of their food, so he helped out in the garden from a young age and has always had a green thumb and a natural ability for making plants grow well.
Once he started working in the garden, Giuseppe found a sense of purpose that had been missing for a while.
He now successfully grows vegetables to share with people accessing the MADDV food relief program, and shares seeds and seedlings so that others can grow their own food at home.
Giuseppe is also passing on his knowledge of gardening to groups who come to help volunteer.
It’s a full circle moment for someone who has needed help, but is now giving back and helping others struggling to put food on the table.
Guiseppe gives MADDV food recipient Jimmy fresh basil and springs onions to take home and use in his cooking, as well as parsley to plant in his own garden.
Donate to FareShare and help us provide more meals to our charity partners like Make A Difference Dingley Village – to support more people in need.
