FareShare is committed to collaborating with First Nations communities to address the disproportionately high levels of food insecurity amongst their Peoples and to Closing the Gap.
Our work with communities started with, and continues with, listening to First Nations Peoples to understand how we can assist in providing culturally appropriate, familiar and nutritious meals. Our approach is to work with Elders and leaders, local service providers and communities to co-design initiatives that tackle the lack of access to affordable, healthy food. Our Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) signifies this commitment.
Many of the First Nations partners we work with have conveyed their support for the Uluru Statement from the Heart, which includes a Voice to Parliament. From them we have learnt that this is viewed as an important step to Reconciliation and to improving the lives of First Nations Peoples. FareShare will continue to stand alongside our First Nations partners in efforts to improve the lives of their communities, through the provision of nutritious meals.
FareShare is committed to collaborating with First Nations communities to reduce food insecurity.
We partner with First Nations groups to provide tasty meals to regional and remote areas where it is difficult to access affordable, nutritious food.
FareShare‘s Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) signifies our commitment to working with First Nations peoples living in remote, very remote, regional, outer regional, and urban areas to access nutritious meals.
We believe that a RAP will support us to build our knowledge of, and respect for, First Nations history and culture and help develop that knowledge in both our staff and wider community of volunteers, stakeholders, and donors.
Our Reflect RAP was launched during NAIDOC Week 2022 with separate events in Meanjin (Brisbane) and Naarm (Melbourne).
Read our Reflect RAP by clicking the cover page:
Meals for the Mob was developed in consultation with First Nations communities and services to provide targeted food relief in the form of free, nutritious and tasty ready-to-eat meals.
In 2022, our successful pilot program delivered 20,850 tasty, nutritious meals to First Nations communities and services in Queensland and Northern New South Wales. We have since cooked more than 200,000 Meals for the Mob, supporting First Nations families and individuals experiencing food insecurity.
Meals for the Mob continues to gain momentum in our Meanjin kitchen, and is now being expanded to Naarm.
Jason Mollenhauer, FareShare’s First Nations Officer, coordinates our meal program for First Nations communities and services from our Brisbane kitchen.
Jason was born on Wakka Wakka Country and has extensive family lines and connections in Meanjin (Brisbane) together with many years’ experience in community development and achieving outcomes with and for First Nations Australians.
“I am passionate and committed to improving food insecurity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples living in remote, regional and urban parts of Australia,” says Jason. “Poor nutrition and diet-related chronic conditions are responsible for a large portion of ill health experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Improving nutrition and food security are fundamentally important in ‘Closing the Gap’ for First Nations peoples.”
Jason leads FareShare’s work in supporting regional and remote communities where access to affordable, nutritious food is often limited and logistics challenging. He also coordinates activities closer to the kitchen, including our support of local community groups and services.
FareShare meals make ‘an immediate impact’ on First Nations school Teachers at Hymba Yumba Independent School in Springfield, Queensland get excitedly asked the same question a lot these days – “What are we having for lunch today?” Since FareShare started providing free, tasty meals earlier this year to support the
Turning five – FareShare’s Brisbane kitchen raises the bar on food relief In five short years our Brisbane kitchen has cooked more delicious, nutritious meals than the entire population of Queensland. From our first dish of chicken and vegetable casserole, our chefs have cooked 5.8 million meals, harnessed 2.5 million kilos
FareShare meals provide hope and reassurance to school families Since 2020, FareShare has provided St Ann’s School in Redbank Plains with hundreds of nutritious meals to share during times of illness, crisis or financial strain. The school has a strong multicultural community and School Chaplain, Charles Mushosi, ensures the meals
FareShare respects and honours Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on this land and commit to building a brighter future together. We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands where our charity is located and where we operate. FareShare is committed to honouring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ unique cultural and spiritual relationships to the land, waters and seas and their rich contribution to society.
FareShare respects and honours Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on this land and commit to building a brighter future together. We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands where our charity is located and where we operate. FareShare is committed to honouring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ unique cultural and spiritual relationships to the land, waters and seas and their rich contribution to society.