This Scoresby food charity helps those struggling to make ends meet

What would you do if you suddenly didn’t know when your next meal might be?

For some, that was reality in the wake of the June 2021 storms that ripped through the Dandenong Ranges. 112 homes were damaged, leaving 81 uninhabitable. Those affected didn’t have the time or resources to think about food.

But for chef, educator and sustainability advocate Lillie Giang, the moment became an inspiration to lend a helping hand.

Not long after the storms, Giang founded not-for-profit organisation Feed One Feed All (FOFA), which collects rescued food from a number of local groups and cooks about 1200 meals over Thursdays and Fridays out of the Resound Church’s kitchen in Scoresby. Feed One Feed All then distributes the meals out to other local food charities to get them to those in need.

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Lillie said she was proud of how much the organisation and its volunteer base has grown, but was dismayed at the level of need within the community.

“We’ve got about 50 volunteers on the ground, behind the scenes, all working for the cause,” she told the Eastern Melburnian.

“The cost of living has skyrocketed and so there is a new class of working poor out there also needing food relief.

“We’re fortunate enough to be able to help those that are less fortunate than we are.”

Lillie said they were hoping to continue to grow to continue to meet demand, with more funding support and volunteer help always appreciated.

“FOFA is all about community,” she said.

“We rely on the generosity of the community to do this work; and FOFA itself has an extraordinary community of volunteers, which really is the secret to our success.

“I know we can’t help everyone or fix world hunger, but we can start with a bowl of rice.

“Together, we can turn that bowl of rice into a nutritious meal and give some hope to someone who needs it.”

Photo Credit: Eastern Melburnian