Great question. No, we're not. The cupboards were established on our fence line during one of Melbourne's many lockdowns in June 2021 and served the purpose of reducing food going to landfill, as well as community connection during that time. Everyone is encouraged to visit our cupboards and help us minimise the amount of food going into landfill. Those in need of food relief are, of course, encouraged to stop by too. We have a pinned post in our Facebook group with more consistent resources for you too though as our cupboards are quite unpredictable. Ask Izzy is another fantastic resource too.
That being said,as of September 2023, we are a registered charity (environment/sustainability purposes).
EVERYONE! Our main purpose is to rescue food from landfill. So when we say EVERYONE, we mean everyone.
If there's something you need, take it. If there's something you have in your pantry or garden that you won't use, donate it and save it from going to waste- and make others in the community happy at the same time Post a photo when you donate so the community knows what's available.
Regularly! We don't often post these as we like for people to stop by and be surprised with what they find. Sometimes the cupboards will be empty, sometimes they will be bursting. We also hold weekly markets from 3-4pm on Saturdays. The location alternates between Kilsyth and Montrose, keep an eye on the Facebook group page for updates (events are pinned to the top of the page in the featured section).
Pat works in the flower industry. Any flowers that are past their optimal sale date are added onto the stand, instead of going to waste. Flowers get added a couple of times a week. The flowers are free too. We also donate to two local aged care facilities for their floristry classes and to brighten up their days.
Our advice would be to check with your local council to cover your bases and then find a cupboard on your local Buy Nothing Facebook group or marketplace. There are a few resources online, including Local Food Connecthttps://localfoodconnect.org.au/links/food-is-free/
We're also happy to chat to you for advice.
