Stew Neighbour was planning for a bumper weekend, only to have it all fall apart with one swift announcement.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Nourish'd Eatery owner and caterer was working flat out to cater three events across the weekend until the Victorian Government announced a five-day statewide.
He was left with $6000 worth of food.
In a last-minute pivot and show of community collaboration, Centre for Participation's Jessica Koenig Fisher, Uniting and Nourish'd came together to make the best of a bad situation.
"I was going to offer it on social media," Mr Neighbour said.
IN OTHER NEWS:
"But Jess reached out, she gave me an opportunity to be a middleman to be able to give food to the people who need it most."
Through Uniting, details of 30 households were passed to Ms Koenig Fisher, who could organise the food, prepared by Stew and his team, to be delivered to those who need it the most.
In just a few short hours, they had organised thousands of dollars of food to go towards families in need while also support a small business that would be pushed into further debt thanks to lockdown.
"I've got all this stock that's was going to go off otherwise and now it's going to the hands of those who need it most."
- Stew Neighbour
"Jess was the shining light that was able to give me a few hundred dollars, it's not everything but it's something I didn't have before, so it's not all gone to waste. I've got all this stock that's was going to go off otherwise and now it's going to the hands of those who need it most," Mr Neighbour said.
Ms Koenig Fisher said she knew small businesses were still struggling from the last snap lockdown.
"I offered Nourish'd financial relief by purchasing the products they had made for 3 events which they had been working on for this weekend," she said.
"Nourish'd was going to have substantial waste, money loss, and I couldn't let that happen.
"This gave us an opportunity to also support vulnerable community members in the way of free meals delivered to their doors."
The money to fund this community relief came from Laneway - Café without Borders, a social enterprise at Centre for Participation with support from the Victorian State Governments, COVID food relief grant.
Ms Koenig Fisher said the response was immediate and amazing from the community.
"The support has been amazing. I'm so humbled by the quick response of people to say yes to helping or being helped," she said.
"I asked through our volunteer program here at Centre for Participation for anyone that would like to be involved (delivery driving) to come forward. We had 4 amazing people offer immediately."
Uniting Wimmera, Grampians Community Health and several other organisations could supply addresses to do contactless delivery.
Uniting Wimmera executive officer Josh Koenig said when Uniting was approached by Ms Koenig Fisher, they were happy to lend their support.
"Through the program at the centre, that food was taken of Stew's hands for a cost so he's not out of pocket and working with out team at Uniting, with permission delivering that food to people who are in a vulnerable position free of charge," he said.
READ MORE:
"It's making good of a bad situation and helping a small business out, working with the Centre of Participation team and helping our consumers at Uniting. It's a good demonstration of collaboration."
Over a few hours, 72 two-course meals were delivered to 25 households by five volunteer delivery drivers using contactless delivery.
Mr Neighbour was thankful to be involved.
"There is so much on the line," he said.
To also "pivot", Nourish'd relaunched its Bad Boy Burger Co for the duration of the lockdown to further reduce any food waste.
From 4.30-8.30pm, burgers are available from Friday, July 16 to Tuesday, July 20. This was also an opportunity to pass along shifts to some casual staff who previously worked for Mr Neighbour when the Bad Boy Burger Co was running last year during the lockdown.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark www.mailtimes.com.au/
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/Wim_Mail_Times
- Follow us on Instagram www.instagram.com/wimmeramailtimes/