Overview
Food rescue organisation Everybody Eats has been feeding bellies instead of bins at its weekly pop-up since June 2017.
After diverting over five tonnes of food from the landfill and serving over 7000 meals to Kiwis in need from St Kevin's Arcade restaurant Gemmayze St, the not-for-profit dining concept is now looking to raise funds for a permanent home where it can continue to combat food waste and food poverty.
The organisation was started by Nick Loosley after he was exposed to the enormous amount of food waste while undertaking research for his Master's Degree in Green Economics. Together with volunteer chefs — from the likes of The Oyster Inn, Paris Butter, Burger Burger, Cazador and Ima — each week he feeds around 250 people restaurant quality, three-course meals from food that would otherwise go to waste. The customers of Everybody Eats can pay whatever they like, from nothing at all to sizeable donations.
Through a PledgeMe crowd-funding campaign, Nick is looking to open New Zealand's first 'pay as you feel' restaurant. The goal for the campaign will cover the lease and fit-out of Everybody Eats' permanent home in Auckland and a refrigerated vehicle to rescue more food before it's thrown away.
Pencilled to open spring 2018, the permanent operation will then rescue perfectly good food from commercial suppliers before they dispose of it, turn it into restaurant quality meals and serve it openly to the community in a safe, comfortable environment. For every $10 that Everybody Eats' raises, it can provide three restaurant quality, three-course meals for people in need.
Should the campaign exceed its goal the company will be able to set up pop-ups in Christchurch and Wellington, and begin the journey of making Everybody Eats a national project.
Learn more about Everybody Eats and donate to the crowd-funding campaign over here.