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The Free Store Container By The Free Store
About The Free Store Container
Project 2012-05-16 07:34:49 +1200
What's the deal?
We are a 100% volunteer run not-for-profit organisation based in Wellington (our website and our facebook page), who in the 2010-11 period redistributed 25,000 perfectly edible surplus food items - that would otherwise have been thrown in the bin - to the 11,000 people that visited our store. We now are without a home to operate from, so we are looking to raise $5,000 to purchase and fit out a shipping container for our permanent use. This will allow us to operate sustainably in the long term and continue to serve, you, our community. This is not just a once off project. Anything that you can give, big or small, will literally benefit the Wellington community for many years to come.
What will you use the money for?
Good question, you have a right to know! In short:
- Purchase of a shipping container at cost price (kindly offered to us)
- Purchase of materials to fit the store out with walls, flooring, a bunch of shelves and a counter top
- Pay a labourer to do the dirty work
- If we go over and above the target, any additional funds will go towards covering ongoing minor costs when we re-open (such as purchasing food prep goods, cleaning products and power bills).
How else can I help?
If you can help in any of the following ways, please contact [email protected]:
- Do you live in Wellington and want to volunteer in the store when we re-open?
- Do you own/manage a café, bakery or restaurant in inner Wellington city and want to know how your business can put its left-over/surplus food to good use at the end of each day?
- Are you a tradesman and would like to know more about working together on this project?
- Do you own some land, or maybe a spare open carpark space, in the inner city area and would like to put it to good use by letting us plonk our container on it?
Comments
The People Behind The Free Store Container
The Free Store
Project admin
The Free Store is a not-for-profit organisation that redistributes perfectly edible surplus food, right here in the heart of Wellington City. The team that set it up did so because it seemed like a common-sense idea (food was being thrown out, people need food) and because they were compelled to freely give this food just as they believe Jesus Christ lavishes them freely with His love and grace. At the end of each day our committed team of volunteers pick up surplus food from cafés, bakeries and restaurants that wasn't sold that day and would otherwise be thrown out.
In 2011, The Free Store redistributed 24,521 items of food that would have been thrown in the bin to the 10,789 people that stepped through our doors.The Free Store is a simple concept, yet complex at the heart of its purpose. It is a tool for contributing to our sustainable city. It is a welcoming home for those that are in need. It is a work of art, inviting the contributors and recipients to both take part. It is an initiative that is run by the people, for the community, with so much potential. Help us make The Free Store all that it can be: we all have some surplus to give.
Updates
One week to go!
11:43PM Fri 29/06/12 on The Free Store Container
Just a quick update to say that we"ve got one week to go, and only need another $190 of pledges to reach our target.
On another note, we"re heading to Resene this afternoon to pick up 80 litres of paint that has kindly been sponsored through their PaintWise recycling scheme (http://www.resene.co.nz/paintwise.htm). We are very excited. Thanks Resene! What colours should we get?
Comment on this update:
Awesome! Here we go...
07:07AM Fri 15/06/12 on The Free Store Container
Holy smokes!
We're just over half way through our Pledge Me campaign and we're well on our way to reach our pledge target. We are stoked, to say the least.
Thank you, every single individual, group, and organisation that has pledged towards our cause. We have generated a lot of interest in our cause and have pulled together resources from a whole host of places to make this project possible. We have a tradesman on board that will be fitting out the store. Resene PaintWise has generously offered to sponsor our project by providing all the paint needed to make the store look pretty. And we have a whole bunch of people who are keen to get their hands dirty when we get round to working on the container.
Thanks again, seriously. From the bottom of our hearts. It is warming to see the community invest in, and take ownership of, this project. This was our vision since the beginning. Thanks for believing that this project is worth giving to. Thanks for your generosity. And thanks for sharing this project around, through social networks and in person.
We couldn't do this without you, honestly!
Comment on this update:
Pledges
Followers of The Free Store Container
This project was successful and got its funding on 04/07/2012 at 2:13 PM.
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Project Campaign
The Free Store Container
We are a 100% volunteer run not-for-profit organisation in Wellington, who in the 2011 redistributed 25,000 perfectly edible food items t...