Strong response to CDU’s student food programs

Two food programs launched by Charles Darwin University late last week – to help students struggling to put food on the table after losing paid work as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak – have reported a strong uptake over the weekend.

CDU Vice-Chancellor Professor Simon Maddocks said organisers of the Foodbank Food Hamper program had received 352 orders, while the team of volunteers at The Kindness Shake distributed more than 80 meals at its launch on Friday night.

“Quite simply, we are trying to ease the burden on students experiencing hardship during these difficult times, with a number of practical measures. Many of our students have lost their part-time jobs as a result of COVID-19,” Professor Maddocks said.

“One of the initiatives is the Foodbank Food Hamper program, which we launched on Thursday in partnership with Foodbank NT. The program provides our students with free emergency food hampers containing essential grocery items.

“It’s an initiative made possible with another generous contribution from the CDU Foundation – this time $50,000.”

Professor Maddocks said about 240 hampers would be collected this week at Casuarina campus, and about 50 each at Palmerston campus and from the Foodbank Warehouse in Berrimah.

“We are working to expand this program to Alice Springs, Katherine and Tennant Creek this week,” he said.

“As things stand, Foodbank orders will open this Wednesday, close on Thursday, for delivery the following Thursday.”

The second program – The Kindness Shake – is a community-led initiative designed to provide a free meal each week to those experiencing financial hardship.

“The emphasis is to support our international students who are particularly vulnerable in these testing times, although it also is open to the wider student community so far as our resources can support them,” Professor Maddocks said.

At this stage, The Kindness Shake operates on Friday evenings next to the Student Central office on Casuarina campus, although discussions are in progress to expand the program.

These initiatives follow the launch last week of CDU’s Student Assistance Grant program, where grants of up to $2000 became available to students who demonstrated financial hardship as a direct result of the coronavirus outbreak.