NUTRITIOUS, chef-prepared meals will be dispersed to school children in need through the recently broadened Spare Ya Change 4 Kids project.
The not-for-profit organisation has provided meals to vulnerable children in the community by using the change of donated recyclable bottles and cans to purchase supplies.
However, the team of volunteers has now moved into a commercial kitchen at Mount Gambier City Hall, with City Council supporting the organisation as it expands its cooking capacity from servicing one city school to four.
Spare Ya Change 4 Kids founder Don Pratt said volunteers and qualified chefs would work together to create meals using the modern kitchen facility every Monday until the end of July.
Mr Pratt said the organisation would now be able to provide 50 ready-cook meals per week to Melaleuca, McDonald Park, Mulga Street and Mount Gambier North primary schools using the expanded capacity.
“The idea for providing lunch began while we were providing breakfast to Melaleuca Primary School during our initial operations trial,” Mr Pratt said.
“Basically we found a lot of children were going home at around 10.30am for lunch and not coming back because there was no food.”
After a suggestion by school staff, Mr Pratt brainstormed the logistics behind what it would take to provide ready-made meals with co-founders Samuel Johnston and Toni Vorenas.
“After presenting the idea to council in November last year we were contacted about a month ago to see how our plans were tracking,” Mr Pratt said.
“We were still doing the one school, but asked whether it would be possible to distribute to four.
“We said we could, but just not from my kitchen.”
Mr Pratt said it was always the plan to supply meals to more schools, with a bigger base and delivery package able to help fast-track the concept.
“Beforehand, when we were only distributing to Melaleuca Primary School with myself organising all the food from Metro Bakery and Cafe’s kitchen, with myself or my dad distributing the meals,” he said.
“Now with council’s help, we can work from one area during the day, cook all the food, use freezers and coolers and the council picks the meals up on Tuesday to drop them off at the schools.
“There is now a distribution model – even if it is temporary – it is there and it gives us an opportunity to see how it works.”
Ms Vorenas said there was no greater time than now to provide ready-made meals to the vulnerable.
“Right now it is important, but even before coronavirus, there was a need,” she said.
“The connection between food and engagement and intellectual growth and capacity is huge.
“Children can not be educated if they are going home at 10.30am looking for food, not finding it and not coming back to school.”
Currently purchasing produce from bottles and cans provided by surrounding businesses, Mr Pratt said the organisation’s system had been impacted due to the coronavirus.
“With the help of FoodBank Mount Gambier, we have continued to provide meals due to their donation of fresh produce,” he said.
“In return for the food they give us, we plan to place 50 meals at first into their freezers, which they can on-sell.”
Foodbank Mount Gambier branch manager Lynne Neshoda said the initiative was beneficial for all involved, adding she was pleased to see further food be available to the vulnerable.
With a more sustainable system in place, Mr Pratt said the aim was to eventually develop a “bricks and mortar” kitchen and continue scaling-up the organisation’s community contribution.
Ms Vorenas said a permanent operational base would allow Spare Ya Change 4 Kids to expand further into Limestone Coast, as well as outside the region.
“Everyone in any community wants to help another and I think if one person is diminished everybody is diminished,” she said.
Mr Pratt said the community was also able to become involved and volunteers were welcome.
“Although all the food is prepared by chefs, there is opportunity for community members to volunteer in any capacity possible,” he said.
“There are time slots available from 8am until 12pm and 1pm until 5pm, but we are grateful for any contribution.”
Volunteers can use the Spare Ya Change 4 Kids app to roster with five people available during each time slot every Monday until the end of July.
Schools wishing to become involved can register their interest through City Council.
