Di Ind, SYC4K Chairperson, Naracoorte Community News
A Mount Gambier-based charity providing meals to schoolchildren has tripled their service over the last few months, with the help of fellow charities and organisations.
Twenty-five schools across the Limestone Coast have now signed up for the Spare Ya Change 4 Kids (SYC4K) service, an increase from six schools at the beginning of 2023.
In the kitchen of the Mount Gambier Italo Australian Club, where the fortnightly Spare Ya Change 4 Kids ‘cook’ is underway, Board member and volunteer Lesley Okholm said the charity has worked hard to forge relationships with fellow charities and organisations.
“With the help of Foodbank, we’ve established hubs in Naracoorte and Millicent and made the service more accessible, so we’ve jumped from 300 meals a fortnight to around 900 a fortnight,” said the former school principal.
“Foodbank provides some of our produce and delivers to outlying areas and in return, we give them 100 meals each fortnight.”
Ms Okholm said there were frequently misconceptions around what determined an area of need for the service.
“It’s not only the schools you think have hungry kids that have hungry kids,” she said. “We are determined that all kids in the Limestone Coast should get a solid, balanced meal once a day.”
Mount Gambier Education Director Ruth Schubert said the charity organisation had become well established in the region.
“In 2023, there has been a dramatic increase in need, with a jump from 6 regular schools to 25 schools across the region participating,’ she said. “The number of meals provided has tripled, with now almost 900 meals provided every fortnight.”
“We know that when our young people are nourished, they are better able to learn, so we fully support this charitable venture and their efforts to expand and ensure that no child goes hungry.”
On a Tuesday morning ‘cook’ day, the charity’s tight band of volunteers are busy dishing out helpings into plastic tubs, which are then labelled and frozen, ready for delivery.
Many of the volunteers, such as Robyn, Louise and Janine, have been with the charity since its beginnings five years ago, with just a small group working from a home kitchen.
A morning’s session will produce around 400 meals, which will be frozen and transported to schools around the district, and also the Limestone Coast Homelessness Service, operated by ac.care at the Mount Gambier Community Centre.
The registered charity relies on donations of produce, financial support to pay for protein and pasta meal elements and most importantly, the generous donation of time from long-time volunteers and skilled chefs.
“The chefs that have stepped up have been amazing, and we’ve got volunteers like Robyn, Louise and Janine that have been with us since we began five years ago, and seven new volunteers this year,” Ms Okholm said.
“It’s a team effort and we value the contributions of every single person that donates their time, every business that helps us out with produce and every single donation that comes in the door.”
To donate to Spare Ya Change 4 Kids, visit this site: bit.ly/Donate2SYC4K.
This article appeared in the Naracoorte Community News.
