The People’s Kitchen

Morwell Neighbourhood House has taken a holistic approach to tackling rising food insecurity and improving the health and wellbeing of people within Morwell and the surrounding communities through the People’s Kitchen.

This project aims to provide the community with better access to nutritious, home-cooked meals, while also creating opportunities to share skills and gain knowledge about nutrition and food security.

The People’s Kitchen is an Initiative of Morwell Neighbourhood House upscaled through partnership with the Latrobe Health Assembly and EnergyAustralia Yallourn.

About the People's Kitchen

The People’s Kitchen is a program that seeks to address food insecurity and improve health literacy opportunities at a local response level. Our work places emphasis on self-determination and people's strengths.

Working from the presumption that our community is resourceful and resilient, the program is about building people, building relationships, and building community. The framework is pure community development.

The People's Kitchen engages volunteers accessing the Food Bank and from across the community to cook homemade meals for the Food Bank. The cooking is done onsite at the House and at A Kinder Cup Café.

The project aims to be a key access point for clients and volunteers to government, health, and community services.

A Short History

The People's Kitchen has been on the ground in some form since 2019. Over time, the program has evolved and been shaped by the considerable support and feedback we have received from across our community.

The People's Kitchen originally came about out of discussions with users of our Food Bank. We identified that our clients needed better access to homemade and nutritious meals. It was also identified that people were keen to volunteer, and that volunteering for a purpose would help build skills and community capacity, create connections, and could provide a platform into work experience and training opportunities.

With this vision and some eager and willing participants, we brought you the People's Kitchen.

In November 2020, Morwell Neighbourhood House received a Covid Recovery grant from the Victorian Government. This funding allowed the House to reestablish the People’s Kitchen and run a new pilot program for 12 months to address growing food insecurity in the local community.

Following on from this pilot, the House partnered with the Latrobe Health Assembly to upscale the People’s Kitchen and implement an inclusive and holistic approach to addressing food security, and improving health and wellbeing.

Recipes by the People's Kitchen

We're absolutely delighted to bring you our cookbook, 'Recipes by the People's Kitchen'.

Designed and printed thanks to the genorosity of the Gippsland Water Social Club, this cookbook is a taste of meals we provide to our community from the People’s Kitchen.

The recipes are budget and kid friendly, can be frozen, made in bulk, and most of all, made with love.

From all of us at Morwell Neighbourhood House, we thank you for your ongoing support and look forward to seeing you make these meals.

Community Partnerships

We're so grateful for the support from our community partners. The People's Kitchen is run as a partnership and supported by the Latrobe Health Assembly and EnergyAustralia Yallourn.

We are thrilled to partner with Latrobe Health Assembly on the People's Kitchen. This organisation is all about building people, building relationships, and building community. Partnering with the Latrobe Health Assembly has allowed us to activate our resources to expand our People’s Kitchen.

Energy Australia have partnered together with us on this project through EnergyAustralia’s Workplace Giving program, through which employees make a donation to a charity or organisation, which is then “matched” by EnergyAustralia.

Partnering with the People's Kitchen

Corporate partnerships and community agencies are integral to the program’s success. When organisations “give” their time and sponsorship to preparing healthy, nutritious meals for our Food Bank freezers, the impact is immediate.

Your organisation or business can support the People's Kitchen through:

Direct Giving by Volunteering

• Organisations are invited to work directly in the People’s Kitchen.
• No cooking experience is necessary.
• Your team will partner with our People’s Kitchen team for a day.
• Your team will enjoy a hands-on experience, working together in a fun and safe environment.
• Your team will use the principles of team building and work in a self-directed mode of operating.
• The People’s Kitchen provides the kitchen and equipment, the recipes, ingredients, induction and supervision, lunch, and unlimited coffee.
• Your team provides the “People Power” to fill our Foodbank freezer

Partnership Packages

• Each package is customised depending on Foodbank needs. Your team will be requested to prepare specific meals as decided by the People’s Kitchen supervisor.
• For example, your team might be asked to make chicken balls in apricot sauce with rice and vegetables, or beef and mushroom casserole or meatloaf & vegies.
• There will always be a protein, lots of vegetables and a portion of carbohydrates.
• Corporate and Community partner team sizes are a maximum of five people due to a limit on work area and space requirements and to provide the necessary safe working environment.
• The Package is delivered for a donation cost $850 (to cover ingredients, utilities, supervision, lunches and an all-day barista to make those unlimited coffees)
• Your team will pump out on average 100-120 take-away-sized meal packs, ready for freezing in the FoodBank.
• The cost of your package is Tax Deductible.
• Dates are limited - so book now.
• Currently taking bookings for 24/25 financial year.

Support Us

We're are so grateful for the incredible support we receive from across the community.

From the amazing volunteers who contribute their time, skills, and energy, to the genorous people and organisations who donate to us – our community is vital to the ongoing success of the People's Kitchen.

Do you want to join us in making a meaningful impact in the fight against food insecurity? Do you want to give back to our community?

Together we can make a huge difference to local people and families facing food insecurity.

Consider getting involved by volunteering your time or or even making a donation to the People's Kitchen.

Get in contact with us to learn more or find out how you can get involved!