After getting their start on the Raglan Community Noticeboard in December 2014, Raglan Food Co credit much of their success to the enthusiastic support and backing from locals. That’s why it seemed only natural to give back by launching their RFC Community Fund last year.
“We wanted to make it easy for local groups who align with our social and environmental values to ask for support,” says Co-founder Tesh Randall.
“Last year we gave out $5,000 in grants to organisations doing all kinds of wonderful things in our community – protecting endangered Oi birds, planting trees, rescuing fruit, teaching tamariki about gardening, and raising mental health awareness.”
This year, with over $5,000 paid out already, they’ve announced plans to double the fund to $10,000.
“We’re seeing some great project applications come through and want to continue backing more initiatives in our local community,” confirms Tesh.
Feedback from the organisations who have already received funding has been positive.
“Funding from Raglan Food Co has allowed us to build a ‘Community Foodbowl’ at Waitetuna School,” says principal Amanda Nasilasila. “The children have been loving planting seedlings in the greenhouse and garden beds, and eating vegetables they’ve grown themselves! So far we’ve harvested kumara, spinach, tomatoes, have set up potatoes and will be planting other summer vegetables in term 4. It’s great to see them so engaged in learning about gardening.”
“We were able to pay for the print costs of our Mental Health Toolbox with Raglan Food Co’s funding,” says Ruby Gibbs. “It’s been made freely available to the whole community as a resource to prompt conversations about mental wellbeing – since we put it together as volunteers, this financial support was hugely appreciated.”
“Seeing perfectly good fruit go to waste seemed like such a tragedy,” says Jono Hutson from
Community Fruit Harvest. “With the fuel vouchers from Raglan Food Co, our volunteers have been able to arrange collecting and donating it to the Feed the Kids program at the Raglan Area School – providing students with nutritious kai.”
Applications are open now for the final quarter of the year, with the next round of grants allocated in December 2022. Visit: raglanfoodco.com/doing-good/rfc-community-fund for more information.
