FareShare: A Happy Beehive of Volunteers
How often do you put on a hairnet, remove all your jewellery and wash your hands for at least 30 seconds before preparing a meal?
That was how our visit to FareShare began.
When we think of a charity kitchen, we may imagine something simple or basic. FareShare was the complete opposite.
Description: A group of volunteers worked together, chatting and smiling as they prepared mushrooms for the next team.
As we walked into FareShare’s Abbotsford site, we could see the enormous industrial kitchen through a large glass window. It was bright, spotless and highly organised. It felt more like an advanced hospital or laboratory than a community kitchen.
The team was also very proud of a new automatic meal-wrapping and labelling machine. The head chef explained that it can process around 1200 meals per hour. This means fewer volunteers are needed for packing, allowing more people to help with preparing and cooking meals.
What surprised us most was not only how professional everything was, but how much care and dignity went into preparing every meal.
When we watch busy kitchens on television, we often see people rushing, shouting and working under pressure. FareShare felt very different.
The kitchen was busy and efficient, but the volunteers looked happy and worked calmly together. There were younger and older volunteers, and people from many different backgrounds. It felt a little like a happy beehive, with everyone working on their own task while still sharing conversations, smiles and connection.
FareShare is one of Australia’s largest charity kitchens. With the support of around 1,300 volunteers, it prepares millions of nutritious meals each year using rescued, donated and farm-grown food.
People experiencing food insecurity still deserve meals prepared to the highest possible standard, and that care could be seen in every part of the kitchen.
During our visit, we spoke with volunteers who had been involved for many years, as well as people completing their very first shift. Everyone had a different reason for volunteering, and there was an amazing story behind each person.
Over the next few weeks, we will share some of these volunteer stories and explore what brought them to FareShare, what they have gained from volunteering and why they continue to give their time.
FareShare is fortunate to have many committed volunteers, but there is always room for more. In particular, it can be challenging to find volunteers for the early morning shift from 7.00 am to 8.30 am and the evening shift from 6.30 pm to 9.00 pm. You can learn more and express your interest here.
These shifts could be a great fit for people who work full time but still want to give a few hours to their community. It is an opportunity to step away from the computer, work with your hands, meet new people and help prepare meals for people experiencing food insecurity.
Sometimes the best way to understand volunteering is to step inside, meet the people and experience it for yourself.