PUBLIC PURPOSE
Digging in for the disadvantaged United behind the goal to provide every disadvantaged person in Brisbane with a filling, nutritious and wholesome meal, a group of young BGS Old Boys established Dig In in late 2017. Since the inaugural serving less than two years ago, the not-for-profit, independent charity has cooked and served over 13,000 meals to homeless and disadvantaged people in Brisbane. Dig In was formed by BGS Old Boys Curtis Sciacca, Dan Marshall, Lucas Ryals, Hamish Foley and Tom Grogan who all graduated in 2014, and Brisbane Girls Grammar School Old Girl Jess Pagden. The passionate team said working together as a community was vital and they engaged with a wide variety of supporters to help those in need. “Different groups bring different skills, ideas, and values and by working together we find the best possible solutions for helping others,” Sciacca said. “We aimed to develop a platform to make a difference in our community.” Many of the fundamental pillars Dig In is built on were instilled at school. “At BGS we were always taught the values of endeavour, learning, respect, leadership and community,” Grogan said. “Each of these were strong guiding principles allowing us to set up Dig In, improve as we go and benefit the community in as many ways as possible.” “A homecooked meal is much more than something to eat, it is an icebreaker helping to start conversations, break down stereotypes and truly connect with one another. Great conversations take place over a meal and we find those we serve need a chat just as much as a meal.” During these chats the Dig In team learned the extent of the hardships for many people living in Brisbane and that homelessness can occur in a short period of time. The common thread was that homelessness was often the result of three or four significant negative events happening in a short amount of time, with no family to call on. “The heartbreaking reality for many who sleep rough at night is that they feel invisible to the rest of society,”
Marshall said. We are so attuned to blocking them out and simply walking past these invisible people.” “Many label homelessness as a self-inflicted outcome of poor choices but this is often far from the truth. If you are looking to learn and change your opinion on homelessness, we encourage you to come to join us, to see firsthand the harsh reality many people in Brisbane face daily.” The future for Dig In is bright. The charity recently expanded to serve young refugee students who often go without breakfast and lunch. One of their main aims is to establish partnerships with more organisations. “So far we have been fortunate to partner with other charitable services like Share the Dignity, who provide us with feminine hygiene products,” Foley said. “Brisbane Youth Services have facilities to provide temporary accommodation and support for those in need, and FareShare is our supplier of key meals and ingredients.” Dig In also has a new project nearing completion – a range of hot food vending machines. These machines will have a capacity of 120 meals, providing 24/7 access to meals for the disadvantaged. They will be placed in various high-density locations around Brisbane and are not designed to replace food distribution services, but as a tool to ease the congestion on these services and provide meals at a convenient time. One of the most important reasons for the hot food vending machines is meal security. “The completion of this project and introduction of these machines would be a major stepping stone for Dig In and really allow us to better service disadvantaged communities throughout Brisbane and hopefully around Australia,” Ryals said. The machines are far more efficient to run than food vans and operate at a fraction of the price. The Dig In team believe that forming the new distribution channel has the potential to dramatically change the way food is given to those in need.
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