FareShare, a Melbourne-bred not-for-profit ensuring thousands of Victorians do not go hungry, has been chosen by Treasurer Tim Pallas as the 2023 Victorian State Budget charity.
First stepping up to the plate 22 years ago, FareShare has become a Victorian staple, rescuing leftover food from supermarkets and other donors to prepare 5,000 meals a day for frontline charities feeding those in need.
FareShare is upgrading its Abbotsford site in an $8 million refit partly funded by the Andrews Labor Government that will add a third kitchen, boost storage and enable cooking of an extra half a million meals a year.
The volunteer-powered not-for-profit beefed up its early operations after successfully lobbying for the removal of legal barriers preventing food donations, with the 2002 Good Samaritan law later adopted nation-wide.
In 2013, FareShare opened Australia's biggest charity kitchen in Abbotsford, where volunteers slice and dice mountains of fresh vegetables and meat for experienced chefs to bulk cook healthy and nutritious dishes.
Each high quality and free ready-to-eat meal is presented in supermarket-style packaging and contains a balance of protein, vegetables and carbohydrates to provide recipients with a nutritious energy boost.
FareShare supplements donated food by growing more than 100 tonnes of vegetables a year at its kitchen gardens in Victoria Park, Moorabbin and Clarinda.
Combined with its Brisbane sister operation opened in 2018, FareShare cooked more than two million meals last year to help deliver its vision that everyone has access to a nutritious meal every day.
Mr Pallas has made a personal donation to FareShare.
As stated by Treasurer Tim Pallas
"FareShare is an incredible organisation that does amazing work- and I'm proud to provide what support I can. The volunteers and workers who provide thousands of meals a day to people in need are real community heroes."
As stated by FareShare CEO Marcus Godinho
"We're deeply grateful to the Treasurer for making FareShare his Budget charity - every single dollar donated to FareShare helps our chefs and volunteers cook healthy meals for Victorians doing it tough. We believe everyone has the right to access nutritious meals, whatever their circumstances."
