Food and Friends

DESCRIPTION

Food and Friends is a project organised by Rotary Club Flemington Kensington and the Djerring Community Hub in Flemington. The aim is to feed up to 150 families one night weekly at the Hub.  We have set a tentative launch date of Wednesday, November 12th, and we are looking for volunteers to assist with the cooking and serving of food on those nights. Below you will find further information about the program.

OPPORTUNITY REQUIREMENTS

Meal preparation training for volunteers will be organized and conducted by Life Church Melbourne at 59 Sims Street, West Melbourne. Training will begin at 8:00 AM on Monday, October 13th, and conclude on Monday, October 27th. Volunteers are required to wear nonslip shoes, as all sessions will take place in the kitchen. Each training session will accommodate groups of 5 participants. If you are volunteering for this project, you only need to attend one session during October. 

Volunteer Induction Day

In addition to the training, all volunteers are invited to attend our Induction Day. The induction session is compulsory for all volunteers. During this session, we will conduct a walkthrough of the kitchen and meals area, complete required induction paperwork, organize Working with Children Checks, discuss food handling procedures, and review the Cultural Safety Resource with bicultural representatives from the Hub.

tIme commitment

We are seeking volunteers to fill shifts from 12:00–3:00 PM or 4:00–7:00 PM fortnightly on a Wednesday evening. Those who wish to participate for the full seven hours are also welcome. There will be breaks throughout the day, and the building offers a pleasant space for volunteers to relax and enjoy a cup of tea during their shift.

Commencement Day Activities

On the project’s commencement day, volunteers will arrive at the Hub by midday. The tasks will include preparing and cooking meals, setting up the dining room, serving meals, and cleaning up afterwards. Initially, we expect the entire process to take approximately seven hours. However, as we streamline our procedures, this time may be reduced. We have capacity to feed 150 people at each dinner. We hope to increase that to 200 in 2026.

Ongoing Schedule and Commitment

For the remainder of the year, the project will operate on a fortnightly basis. If we secure enough volunteers, we will consider making this a weekly event. We are asking each volunteer to commit to one 3-hour shift per month. A roster once all volunteers are confirmed.

Location

Djerring Community Hub, 26 Mt Alexander Road, Flemington