A nationally recognised not-for-profit is the latest beneficiary to receive a share of Qantas’s Regional Grants Program — and founder Lyndon Galea says it has Shepparton to thank.
Eat Up Australia has been awarded $15,000 in flights and $10,000 cash to purchase ingredients and train more volunteers to provide free lunches to disadvantaged school children in eight more regional areas nationwide.
Mr Galea said the support received would allow the organisation to reach further into remote areas, a true testament to its humble start.
“What began as myself reading a story in the Shepparton News about local kids going to school without lunch and wanting to help spurred the whole organisation in certain ways,” he said.
“Shepparton is a community we all love, and I feel an enormous connection to the GV ... at the time, being younger and with no real expertise, something I could do was make some sandwiches for the two schools mentioned in the article.”
Fast forward 10 years, and Eat Up Australia’s 2022 financial year report includes a staggering 650 schools.
Mr Galea said Eat Up had 200 schools on its waiting list and, thanks to Qantas’s support, it would be working hard to bring that number down.
“The work that we do is always bittersweet, seeing the need as large as it is,” he said.
“More schools, more regions, and more states yet to go — the need is massive, but the community support is bigger.
“We’re going to continue to listen to schools and teachers, ask what we can do to help, and respond by their guidance, partnering with their local community groups and connecting directly with passionate locals who love their home towns and want to make a difference where they live ... our approach replicates the grassroots model in Shepparton, which is special.”
For further information, visit https://www.eatup.org.au/
Applications for the 2024 Regional Grants Program will open on February 28, 2024 at qantas.com/regionalgrants