The Palaszczuk Government has extended its relationship with FareShare through a $100,000 donation to ensure the Morningside-based charity kitchen can help even more Queenslanders in need.
Deputy Premier and Treasurer Jackie Trad said the donation was a result of a developing partnership between FareShare and Queensland Treasury Corporation (QTC).
“Every day of the year, vulnerable Queenslanders benefit from the free, nutritious meals cooked by FareShare and distributed by Foodbank,” Ms Trad said.
“It’s just over a year since FareShare started its operations in Queensland, using surplus food supplied by Foodbank.
“In that time, they’ve already turned half a million tonnes of donated food into more than one million nutritious meals.
“QTC’s relationship with FareShare started with a corporate volunteering day earlier this year.
“QTC has also helped FareShare tackle some of their logistical challenges, including providing advice on sustainable funding streams to meet its operational expenditure needs, ensuring a sustainable supply of key ingredients and developing a ‘no-cost’ framework to transport meals to Thursday Island’s pre-natal centre.
“This $100,000 donation will allow FareShare to employ another full-time chef, enabling them to provide an additional 250,000 meals for vulnerable Queenslanders every year.
Minister for Child Safety and Member for Bulimba Di Farmer said FareShare was a great example of the community working together to help one another.
Whether it’s those affected by the recent fires, flood victims earlier this year in Townsville, or vulnerable Queenslanders facing a Christmas alone, FareShare exists on the generosity, time and ingenuity of so many supporters,” Ms Farmer said.
“The Foodbank Hunger Report 2019 reported that one in five Queenslanders have experienced food insecurity in the last year.
“Here in Morningside we see 430 volunteers come together with the support of major food retailers to create meals from food that would otherwise have ended up in landfill”
While one in five Australians experienced food insecurity last year, food waste costs the Australian economy an estimated $20 billion each year.
FareShare has embraced these challenges and aims to double its output in Brisbane by cooking two million meals next year to feed those in need.
FareShare’s state-of-the-art Brisbane facility was opened by The Premier Anastacia Palaszczuk in October 2018 as part of a collaboration with Foodbank.
Queensland Treasury Corporation CEO Philip Noble said the partnership with FareShare was a natural fit.
QTC’s collaboration with FareShare started in early 2019 when Chief Executive, Philip Noble sent his Client Advisory Division to the Brisbane kitchen for a corporate volunteering day to cook meals and apply their professional expertise to help FareShare overcome challenges with their Queensland business model.
“FareShare is one of the most effective charitable organisations I’ve encountered that makes a significant, tangible outcome for vulnerable people,” said Mr Noble.
“It costs FareShare just 50 cents to cook a nutritious meal for someone in need in Queensland and I would encourage individuals and local businesses to consider supporting them, either by donating or volunteering their time.”
“QTC came on board at a critical time when FareShare had just arrived in Brisbane and was trying to establish a community here,” said Marcus Godinho, FareShare CEO.
“QTC’s collaborative approach to solving the problems we face has been highly valuable and resulted in real solutions put on the table for our business challenges.”
