Health Futures Australia | Community Grant recipient

Health Futures Australia is a not-for-profit health promotion charity focused on creating systems that prevent chronic disease and improve wellbeing. Their mission is to inspire communities to make healthier choices through initiatives that promote access to nutritious food and sustainable practices.

“We’re passionate about building food systems that support health and resilience, especially in rural areas where access to fresh, healthy food can be limited,” says Dr. Shelley Bowen, CEO. 

Health Futures’ flagship program, SHIFT (Sustainable Healthy Integrated Food Towns), addresses food insecurity in rural Victoria, particularly among children and young people. Through the Healthy Lunch Kitchen, Health Futures provides nutritious school lunches to over 800 primary-aged children across six schools in Hepburn Shire.

“It’s alarming that 50-96% of children aren’t eating enough fruits and vegetables. Our program ensures kids get nutritious meals that support their ability to learn and thrive,” explains Dr. Bowen.

Over a 12-month period in 2022-2023, the program delivered over 9,000 lunches and 800 community meals, supported by a network of 15 volunteers.  

After receiving a SilverChef Community Grant valued at $5,000 AUD, Health Futures purchased a commercial Vitamix blender, a deck oven, and a planetary mixer to equip their new, larger commercial kitchen.

“The grant has allowed us to scale up our kitchen operations, which means we can serve more children and families. The equipment has been critical in helping us produce larger quantities of soups and sauces for our school lunches,” says Dr. Bowen.

The grant also supports their vision to create a “pay it forward” system, ensuring that all children have access to nutritious lunches, regardless of their ability to pay. 

With this support, Health Futures is expanding its reach and making a lasting impact on the health and wellbeing of rural communities in Victoria. 

Learn more about Health Futures Australia here.

SilverChef Community Grants program

The SilverChef Community Grants program supports groups and organisations serving disadvantaged or marginalised members of our community.

You can read more about our Community Grants program here.