It's hard to imagine this gravel carpark as fertile ground, but since taking on the management of HandsUp food pantry four years ago operations manager Danielle Bate has seen untapped potential.
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The community food pantry, housed in the former Charnwood High School campus, has plans to transform the surroundings and support their food rescue service by creating a produce garden and commercial kitchen.
Pantry staff rescue food from seven supermarkets each day but hope to supplement this by growing produce.
It's hoped after the garden takes root, fitting a commercial kitchen will enable the organisation to partner with Oz Harvest and deliver Nourish in the ACT – a program offering hospitality certificate courses.
Clients can gain new skills while producing low-cost food that can be used in the pantry or by other community organisations.
"We see it as a really circular process that not only provides food, but training, socialisation and inclusion," Mrs Bate said. "So really, an all-round benefit."
Using a $6000 grant from IMB, plans are in train to plant the garden in October and the project has been shaped into a training opportunity.
"This program will not only build pieces of community infrastructure but it will also provide local people with an opportunity to learn construction skills and gain a formal nationally recognised qualification," Mrs Bate said.
The pantry's initial $10,000 kitty was bolstered by a further $40,000 in grants from West Belconnen Community grants, Hands Across Canberra and IMB.
But there is a gap between donations received and the quoted cost for the expansion.
"The grease trap itself is close to $20,000 and the kitchen itself has been quoted at $100,000," she said. "I believe we can do it for less than the quoted amount if we do get donations of material and in kind support."
Hands Across Canberra chief executive Peter Gordon said his organisation supported more than 150 of the "unseen" charities working to help Canberrans.
He said part of the battle was dispelling the assumption the territory was all securely employed public servants.
Domestic violence, disadvantage and social isolation were the priority areas for this year's grants round and he said the HandsUp expansion would tackle these by getting the community involved in activities that were good for them.
Mrs Bate said help was needed to make more of the resources available and do more for clients experiencing financial stress and disadvantage.
"It seems a shame to have these spaces that could grow and expand what we could offer to the community left unused," she said.
"It always comes down to time and money. It's just a matter of getting it together with the grants we have received but also the generosity of the wider community."
If you are interested to help or take part in the garden project contact: manager@canberracitycare.org or 6178 1025
