If you didn’t get your flood pantry ready in time or you are just struggling to put food on the table (if you happen to have one) knowing how to make a simple nutritious meal out of basic ingredients – possibly without a heat source – is essential.
The Nourish Northern Rivers program was teaching people just that at the Murwillumbah Community Centre Food Hub on 28 May with celebrity chef and SecondBite ambassador Sergio Perera.
‘The Food Hub came alive with community spirit as Nourish Northern Rivers, a NORWACS (Northern Rivers Women and Children’s Services Inc.) health promotion initiative joined in a vibrant pop-up event celebrating food, resilience, and wellbeing,’ said NORWACS Health Promotion Project Officer, Nerida Colley.
The event brought together community members, volunteers, and food security advocates to share practical ways to create nourishing dishes during challenging times.
More than 25 women and children received Nourish food hampers to take home, helping stock their pantries and empowering them to recreate the shared recipes. It also coincided with a special filming day for the upcoming Coles/Sunrise Winter Appeal Launch, supported by national food rescue charity SecondBite.
The Nourish project supports women across the Northern Rivers with essential resources and education on maintaining nutrition and wellbeing during crises such as natural disasters and financial hardship. The initiative has recently expanded to collaborate with local food pantries, offering simple, nutritious recipes and demonstrations using accessible pantry staples – many of which are featured in the Nourish Northern Rivers booklet – Recipes and Tips to Support You During Challenging Times (if you pick up a copy you’ll find out how to cook with a tea candle!).
Celebrity chef
The event concluded with a live cooking demonstration by celebrity chef and SecondBite ambassador Sergio Perera, joined by NORWACS Health Promotion Project Officer, Nerida Colley as sous chef, showcasing the power of community-based health initiatives.
‘This event truly showcased what Nourish is all about – meeting people where they’re at and sharing practical tools to support health and dignity, even in tough times,’ said NORWACS Social Worker Jess.
Lismore’s Good Pantry
The next NORWACS event is training on the 25 June for volunteers at Lismore’s Good Pantry at 51 Wyrallah Rd, East Lismore.
‘A lot of people who volunteer at the pantry are flood-affected and need the pantry services themselves,’ Nerida told The Echo.
‘There is a lot of vicarious trauma as many of the people accessing the Good Pantry are flood-impacted or homeless etc. so we will provide social and emotional health and how to access services.
‘We will also be looking at how people can use staple pantry products to make an affordable meal without a heat source for example. Or perhaps how to use a tea candle as a heat source. Another example is what do you do with excess food you might end up with a lot of oranges or too much pumpkin – what can you do with this?’
The program has been funded by the Northern Rivers Community Foundation (NRCF).
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