A McGowan Government funded food and nutrition education program for people with disability is being delivered in regional Western Australia.
The 'Healthy Food for All Abilities' program - delivered by Foodbank WA - is designed to help people with disability build valuable life skills.
In the sessions, participants will enjoy cooking and sharing a meal together, while building confidence about food choices. It's an opportunity to connect socially while learning valuable life skills.
The program also caters for families who have a child with a disability, or support a person with a disability.
Around 160 people with disability - along with support workers and family members - have already attended sessions in Perth.
This success has prompted Foodbank WA to take the program to regional towns - starting with Bunbury before moving on to Geraldton - with plans for sessions in the Wheatbelt and the Goldfields-Esperance region in 2023.
While sessions in Perth are hosted at Foodbank WA's purpose-built kitchen, sessions in regional centres will be held at accessible venues to allow the program to accommodate people of all abilities.
The two-year program is funded through the State Government's 'A Western Australia for Everyone: State Disability Strategy 2020-2030' Innovation Fund (Innovation Fund).
The first round of funding saw nearly $2.5 million extended to seven organisations to improve the economic and social wellbeing of people with disability in WA.
As stated by Disability Services Minister Don Punch:
"Living in a regional centre should not be a barrier to accessing this excellent program, and Foodbank WA are to be congratulated on this initiative.
"The Innovation Fund was set up to build the capacity of people with disability, their families, and their community - regardless of their location - and the 'Healthy Food for All Abilities' program is a great example of that.
"Most importantly, the Innovation Fund was set up to find innovative ways to enable people with disability to be engaged and empowered, and to live as they choose."
