The annual Christmas Day community lunch saw record attendance of 130 people for its Christmas 2023 event.
Held annually in the Nambour Community Centre, the event was open to everyone who wanted to join for a free meal and community on a day that can be tough for some.
Foodbank Australia’s Hunger Report revealed that 3.7 million Australian households experienced moderate to severe food insecurity in 2023. This means that many have had to skip meals or go the whole day without food.
The Christmas period can be especially difficult for families already struggling.
Supported by the Sunshine Coast Council’s grants program and sponsored by local business Entag, the event aimed to extend an invitation for people to have lunch together and ease food insecurity for people.
Kris and Charlotte Furmston, owners of Entag also coordinate the event and love being part of creating a memorable experience for people on Christmas day.
“It was a fantastic day! All food and presents gone and so many happy smiling faces,” said Charlotte.
“It’s important for us to make people feel valued and have something nice to look forward to on a day that can be particularly lonely for members of our community.”
“We’ve been involved for a number of years and been so overwhelmed by the generosity of the incredible volunteers that want to help out in making this day special for everyone. There are a lot of special people out there, who want to help and give back. It’s a great opportunity to make people smile and make a difference”.
With over 30 volunteers involved, Charlotte was touched that it was such a great turn out for the event.
Overseen by the Everyday Foundation, a local Sunshine Coast charity, with several initiatives to ensure that hope is not lost during the Christmas season. The charity is on mission to support those feeling the economic pressures particularly.
Karen Gullo, Operations Manager of the Everyday Foundation is passionate about the role the organisation plays within the community and its ability to give hope during a time when it is most needed.
“Our heart with the Everyday Foundation is to meet people in their place of need”.
The Everyday Foundation have three annual initiatives that are open to the community to engage with each Christmas season – Hope Hampers, the Daily Bread Christmas Dinner and the Christmas Day Community Lunch.
Each year Hope Hampers provides Christmas hampers to members of the Sunshine Coast community that may not be able to afford the essentials to provide for their families. In 2023 there were over 500 hampers given out to members of the community that were doing it tough.
The meal support kitchen part of the charity – Daily Bread ran a Christmas dinner at its Nambour location which also saw record attendance.
Businesses and community members can support the work of the Everyday Foundation throughout the year to help those experiencing food insecurity by getting in touch via the website.
