Liberation Larder volunteers have been supplying free meals to homeless people and people in need for 15 years, and say that they have been seeing an increase in women using the service.
‘The service used to be used by around 20 per cent women, and 80 per cent men, but we have seen a real shift over the last few years, and it is now about 50/50,’ explained Larder President, Liz Jackson.
‘There has been an increase in older women who are accessing the service, as well as young women with babies.’
Liberation Larder is entirely volunteer-run and relies on donations from the community of both food and financial support. They are tenants at the Byron Community Centre and currently there are around 45 volunteers who help collect, cook, serve and deliver meals.
31,200 meals in 2023
During 2023, Liz says Liberation Larder rescued 45,500kgs of edible food, and served 31,200 meals to 7,000 people.
‘We have some great organisations that allow us to collect their food including the Bangalow Bakery, Bread Social, Byron Gourmet Pies, Woolies, Aldi, Suncoast Fresh, To Die For, and other private donations. When Bluesfest and Splendour are on they also donate significant amounts of food.
‘All this food would otherwise end up in landfill.
‘Instead, we are able to supply meals and donate food to the Mullumbimby and District Neighbourhood Centre, who supply free community lunches Tuesday to Thursday, from 12.30 to 1.30pm. We supply food for the Food Box in Mullumbimby, The Winsome in Lismore… we supplied food to The Koori Mail following the floods so they could support their community, as well as working with the Consortium of Neighbourhood Centres (CONC) in Evans Head.’
‘The service costs $50-60,000 a year to run, and supplies breakfast on Monday mornings from 7 to 9.30am and lunch from 12 to 1.30pm.
‘On Thursdays, we supply snacks in the morning and lunch, again from 12 to 1.30pm’.
‘I’ve worked in the Byron community my whole working life, and I wanted to give back to the community that have let me live my life the way I wanted.
‘This is a community that has allowed each other the freedom to live the way we wanted to.
‘That’s why I volunteer here,’ said Liz.
Find out more about Liberation Larder at: www.liberationlarder.org, email [email protected] or phone 0435 879 778.
