We reveal our Feed Victoria 2019 grant recipients
Our first national Feed Appeal has raised more than $830,000, with almost $320,000 staying here in Victoria. Check out the hardworking charities that will receive grants – including a major grant-winner of $50,000 for a much-needed van.
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Just one Feed Victoria grant will fill more than 65,800 hungry little tummies.
Eat Up Australia — which makes sandwiches for more than 350 schools across the state — is one of 20 charities to receive a big boost thanks to donations from our readers and supporters.
They will receive an $11,403 grant to buy cheese, along with trolleys to transport and carry heavy batches of food.
Eat Up Australia founder Lyndon Galea said many of its ingredients were donated — except cheese.
“This is massive for us — with part of the grant we’ll be able to buy 65,853 slices of cheese, which essentially means 65,853 sandwiches,” he said.
“We’re built on grassroots support such as volunteers, business donations and help from organisations such as Feed Victoria, so we’re rapt to receive this grant.”
It was the realisation so many Australian kids were living in poverty that prompted Mr Galea to start Eat Up at Shepparton in 2013.
Our first national Feed Appeal raised more than $830,000 thanks to the generosity of our readers and supporters across the country.
Of that, Feed Victoria raised $319,601 that will be distributed to 20 charities across the state, including a $50,000 grant for the Father Bob Maguire Foundation to buy a refrigerated van.
Food rescue charity FareShare’s Victorian hub will receive $127,840, which will enable them to make more than 170,450 meals for people in need.
This year’s grant recipients are Combined Churches Caring Melton, Transition Village Wallan, Pantry 5000 in Chelsea, Hotham Mission in North Melbourne, Transit Narre Warren, Christ Church Mission in St Kilda, CareWorks SunRanges in Sunbury, Vinnie Kitchen in Rosebud, the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre in Footscray and Northpoint Centre Food Pantry in Tullamarine.
Grants will also be allocated to charities in rural and regional Victoria, helping communities in Mildura, East Loddon, Ballarat, Warrnambool, Bairnsdale, Bendigo and Geelong.
FOR THE FULL LIST OF NATIONAL FEED APPEAL GRANTS, CLICK HERE
Feed Appeal chief executive Katherine Gokavi-Whaley said she was very proud of the former Feed Melbourne Appeal’s national expansion this year.
“We have been really humbled by the support we’ve received from everyday Australians who donated to us directly or got behind the Woolworths in-store campaign,” she said.
Ms Gokavi-Whaley said the money would buy refrigerated vans, cool rooms, food staples and kitchen equipment to help charities increase their capacity and help more people.
“We also focused on efficiency and sustainability so several of the grants – especially the major projects ones – will have long lasting impact for communities well into the future.”
But there was more to be done.
“While I’m proud to announce we have supported more than 48 food relief charities nationally, we were overwhelmed by the number of grant applications we got and the stories of need from communities around the country,” she said.
“We were only able to help 40 per cent of worthwhile applications, meaning that many charities missed out.”
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With the rising cost of living hurting not only adults, but children too, Ms Gokavi-Whaley called on people to continue to get behind the appeal.
“Food is a basic human need and access to it should be everyone’s right – especially in a country as wealthy as Australia,” she said.
Feed Victoria is a collaboration between Leader Community News and FareShare, and powered by Newman’s Own Foundation.