Farm My School takes home $80,000 grant

FARM My School have taken out the $80,000 P500 Grant from the Geelong Community Foundation, decided at the annual Pitch and Vote Night last Thursday.

The Bellarine-based organisation took out the top place, beating finalists Skyline Education Foundation Australia and the Men’s Table.

Farm My School co-founder and director James McLennan said it’s a fantastic feeling to receive the grant money and it will make a huge difference to the project.

“For a non-for-profit or social enterprise it’s a pretty common thing to be going for grants regularly and often.

“The P500 was a great opportunity where we can actually be in front of the people who are deciding on the night, which is pretty surreal.”

Farm My School’s concept is to transform unused land within schools into regenerative market gardens to feed, educate and connect communities.

At the Pitch and Vote night, donors heard from all three organisations: how they would use the funds and the impact they are having in the community.

All donors were than able to cast their vote for the organisation they felt had the greatest impact on the community.

Geelong Community Foundation chief executive officer Amy Waters said Farm My School is a multifaceted program, one of the contributing factors to their win.

“We know that people are experiencing rising cost of living pressures, so to be able to provide nutritious and affordable food to the school community, I think was definitely a really big part of the decision-making process.

“The quality of food was also really important and Farm My School were able to demonstrate how the quality and nutritious food was having a physical and mental health benefit to the students.

“The final component was really that in among the education that they’re doing with students to help them understand how to eat well and to cook healthy meals, they’re also providing a pathway to employment.”

The $80,000 grant will be put towards employing staff and increasing the reach of the farmer incubator project program.

Runners-up Skyline Education Foundation and the Men’s Table will both receive $2,250 towards their projects.

Funding for the grant is provided by a collective giving circle of individuals and businesses, with $80,000 being the biggest grant yet and including 278 donors.
Ms Waters thanked all the donors for making the grant possible.