RAS Foundation Community Kitchen
The Royal Agricultural Society of NSW Foundation (RASF) is giving rural and regional NSW community organisations the chance to receive kitchen cabinetry and appliances through their RASF Community Kitchen Grant program. The package will be made up of benches and cabinetry, along with at least $10,000 worth of appliances and whitegoods including a gas cooktop, oven, sink, microwave, dishwasher, refrigerator and freezer. The appliances are used for cooking demonstrations in The Australian Women's Weekly Theatre Kitchen at the Sydney Royal Easter Show. There are many buildings or facilities in rural and regional towns that can be transformed with a new kitchen, turning them into a more functional facility for the whole community. Just as the kitchen is the heart of the home, it follows that community kitchens are the absolute heart of rural and regional communities. The 2019 kitchen, donated by IKEA®, was awarded to the Nowra East Community Garden Kitchen Project Team, Nowra East Public School and Nowra East Community Pride Group. The internal build of their Nowra East Community Kitchen can now be completed and will facilitate new programs including daily community cooking programs, Aboriginal Koori cook-ups, seniors cooking, multicultural cooking, garden to plate cooking and neighbourhood cooking programs. Nowra East Community Kitchen Project Manager, Alex McNeilly said, 'Making this available to all of the community supports social cohesion, inclusion and health, and creates a strong and resilient neighbourhood kitchen community.' Narrabri and District Pony Club received $4000 plus IKEA®, kitchen appliances and cabinetry while Guyra Show Society received $5000 to put towards their kitchen refurbishment. Cowra Information & Neighbourhood Centre, Combara Ladies Club and Woodstock Memorial Show each received $2000 each from the RAS Foundation to kick-start their kitchen projects. The RASF invites rural and regional community organisations to apply and tell us how their community would benefit from a new kitchen. Who is eligible to apply? Community Centres Welfare organisations Churches Service Club e.g. CWA/Rotary Sporting clubs Show societies Who is not eligible? Privately or company owned facilities The successful applicant will need to meet the following requirements: The planned kitchen and appliances can only be installed into the agreed community owned / public building and cannot be for the benefit of an individual or company. The kitchen must be accessible to the wider community. The successful applicant will receive the appliances on packaged wooden palettes. No colours or materials preference can be requested. The coordination and cost of freight from Sydney Showground to the recipient community will be the responsibility of the successful applicant. All installation costs are also the responsibility of the successful applicant. The donated appliances should be removed from the Sydney Showground directly after the close of the Sydney Royal Easter Show. Installation of the kitchen needs to be completed approximately six months after the Sydney Royal Easter Show. The successful applicant, or a representative from the community organisation, will be required to attend a presentation event at the annual Sydney Royal Easter Show to accept the kitchen. Judging and selection Applications will be judged on merit by a panel of selectors, including representatives from the RASF Board. The application judged to be the most considered, meritorious and achievable will be awarded the kitchen. The selected projects must be implemented through the local community agency or group nominated in the application. The successful applicant is announced in approximately April each year. Further information If you have any queries about eligibility or any aspect of RASF Community Kitchen grant program, please contact the RASF on 02 9704 1226 or email foundation@rasf.org.au . Applications for the RAS Foundation Community Kitchen Grant will close Sunday 2 February 2020.
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