The Buderim Foundation Thompson Charitable Fund is proud to provide a $100,000 grant to Gateway Care Food Centre to support their Food Rescue Program.
Buderim Foundation Thompson Charitable Fund donation to Gateway Care Food Centre – Tom Lew and Lani Rafiti from Gateway Care receive cheque from Buderim Foundation’s Rod McKinnon and Rebecca Ramsay – photo by Ross Eason
Buderim Foundation chair Rod McKinnon said Gateway Care Food Centre plays a vital role in providing emergency food relief to families in crisis and those experiencing financial hardship on the Sunshine Coast.
“The Buderim Foundation’s Thompson Charitable Fund is proud to support the Gateway Care Food Centre and their Food Rescue Program,” Rod McKinnon said.
Gateway Care Chair Lani Refiti said the Gateway Care Food Centre is a non-denominational community organisation run entirely by volunteers.
“It currently spends approximately $15,000 per week on food items, ensuring that families in need have access to vital nourishment, and over 50% of these purchases are freely delivered to Sunshine Coast families experiencing financial difficulties.
“Currently, Gateway Care supports approximately 300 welfare recipient families daily, with approximately 20% of them facing severe financial crisis.
“The assistance we provide is often the difference between survival and despair for these vulnerable families, and this grant will enable us to support the growing number of families during the current cost of living crisis” Mr Refiti said.
Gateway clients find the service a huge support. One member, Sharon, who has been going to Gateway for over 10 years, said it was vital.
“When I first became a member, I was experiencing some big emotional and life trauma. I had two young children and no income. Life was challenging. It was nice to have somewhere to come that made me feel ok. If it wasn’t for Gateway, I don’t know how I would have been able to feed my children,” Sharon said.
Mr McKinnon said the grant to Gateway Care represents the type of assistance that the Thompson Charitable Fund seeks to provide to people facing financial hardship and in dire need throughout the Sunshine Coast Region.
The Buderim Foundation has been the Trustee for the Thompson Charitable Fund since April 2021. Over the past two years, a rolling grants program has provided $246,950 to nine organisations to support people experiencing homelessness and financial distress on the Sunshine Coast.
The $100,000 grant will include two payments of $50,000, each across a three-month period. The first payment has already been provided and is already making a difference.
The Buderim Foundation is a philanthropic organisation which harnesses the power of giving by generating income from donations and bequests and providing grants for worthwhile community projects. In addition to the Thompson Charitable Fund, the Buderim Foundation runs a separate community grants program supporting projects benefiting the local Buderim area.
To find out more about the Buderim Foundation Thompson Charitable Fund visit buderimfoundation.org.au/grants/the-buderim-foundation-thompson-fund/. For more information about Gateway Care Food Centre, visit gatewaycare.org.au and for more information about the Buderim Foundation visit buderimfoundation.org.au.
