Fresh from Garden to Table

In 2024, the Hobsons Bay Community Fund provided a grant to support the Community Lunch program delivered by Louis Joel Arts & Community in Altona.

With a grant, the Centre delivered 32 weekly lunches between February and September 2025, serving around 800 fresh, nourishing meals and creating a welcoming space for connection and conversation for local residents experiencing food insecurity.

Growing and sharing good food

Produce from the Centre’s edible garden — leafy greens, broccolini and herbs — was harvested and transformed into vibrant, flavour-filled meals. Grant funds supported pantry staples and protein, while staff and volunteers planned menus, prepared food and welcomed guests each week

Meals were generous and varied — drawing on Southeast Asian and global flavours, from fragrant curries to vibrant noodle salads — demonstrating that dignified food support can also be delicious and culturally rich.

“Loved all your lunches, thank you. Very different to Salvo’s lunches, much tastier.”
— Hazel, Jon and Maria

More than a meal

Around 25 people attended each week, including individuals and families facing financial hardship, pensioners and carers on low incomes, and people unable to cook balanced meals for themselves.

Importantly, the program provided dignified food support in a warm, social setting. Many participants began attending regularly — building friendships, strengthening local support networks and connecting with other Centre programs.

As Matchy shared:

“This Centre has been a life changer… Many of the members here are seniors and are on a strict budget and the things they provide here such as lunch and activities are greatly appreciated.”

Alongside the lunches, the Centre undertook a local food assessment to better understand the drivers of food insecurity and guide future responses. The Community Fund considers this aspect of the program important because it builds the centre's capacity to support the community over the long term. The program has influenced, for example, what is grown in the edible garden at the centre.

This project has shown how local food, local skills and shared tables can strengthen community in practical and lasting ways.