Who We Are
Our Team
Meet the Hands
That Help
Rosi Johnston
Chair
Health Promotion Officer - Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District
Grace Potter
Fair Food Coordinator
Healthy Cities Illawarra
Robyn Tindall
Founding Member
Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District
Deanne Condon-Paoloni
Founding Member
University of Wollongong
Galavizh Ahmadi Nia
Kiama Municipal Council
Tracy Venaglia
Wollongong City Council
Lauren Peters
Shellharbour City Council
Belinda Gibbons
University Of Wollongong
Katherine Kent
University of Wollongong
Food Fairness
Illawarra History
For 20 years (2005–2025), FFI operated as a coalition made up of members from Healthy Cities, local councils, Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District (ISLHD), University of Wollongong (UOW), and dedicated individuals in the food space. As a community coalition, FFI took pride in spearheading collective action to create equitable and sustainable solutions for our local food system. Here are just some of the coalition’s achievements over the two decades it operated.
Beginning in 2005, Food Fairness Illawarra was formed during Anti-Poverty Week, after attendance at a Sydney based food security forum highlighted the need for collaboration to unlock fairer food solutions in the local area. In 2007, the coalition successfully advocated for OzHarvest to expand rescued food deliveries from Sydney into the Illawarra. Engagement with the private sector was progressed by strategic actions undertaken with the Illawarra Business Chamber to facilitate advocacy work and promote food donations. In 2009, FFI partnered with NSW Food Summit to host the Illawarra Regional Food Forum to facilitate regional perspectives on the recommendations made for Food Policy to NSW Government.
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2010
In 2010 FFI went online with a website and marketing materials to broaden its reach. Over the next couple of years, FFI advocated for food security to local councils as well as national and state submissions, supporting the development of the Illawarra Regional Food Strategy in partnership with Shellharbour City Council, Wollongong City Council and Kiama Municipal Council in 2013. The Food Rescue and Relief Working Group was then established in partnership with community organisations in 2014.
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2015
In 2015, FFI produced the traditional Sub-Saharan and Halal Food Directory for newly arrived refugees to the Illawarra. In partnership with local councils in 2016, the University of Wollongong and Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District, an annual community building event 'Connecting over Fair Food' was launched and hosted during Fair Food Week. A formal food strategy was formed for the coalition's vision of our local food system to guide all coalition activities, and in 2019 FFI the coalition successfully advocated for the expansion of OzHarvest deliveries in the Illawarra from two to five days per week. The pandemic threw a spanner in the works when it came in 2020, causing food insecurity to rise. FFI mobilised local food security stakeholders to provide a rapid coordination response, including the establishment of food distribution hubs and provision of our regularly updated Low Cost & Free Meals Directory.
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2020
Beginning in 2005, Food Fairness Illawarra was formed during Anti-Poverty Week, after attendance at a Sydney based food security forum highlighted the need for collaboration to unlock fairer food solutions in the local area. In 2007, the coalition successfully advocated for OzHarvest to expand rescued food deliveries from Sydney into the Illawarra. Engagement with the private sector was progressed by strategic actions undertaken with the Illawarra Business Chamber to facilitate advocacy work and promote food donations. In 2009, FFI partnered with NSW Food Summit to host the Illawarra Regional Food Forum to facilitate regional perspectives on the recommendations made for Food Policy to NSW Government.
In 2010 FFI went online with a website and marketing materials to broaden its reach. Over the next couple of years, FFI advocated for food security to local councils as well as national and state submissions, supporting the development of the Illawarra Regional Food Strategy in partnership with Shellharbour City Council, Wollongong City Council and Kiama Municipal Council in 2013. The Food Rescue and Relief Working Group was then established in partnership with community organisations in 2014.
In 2015, FFI produced the traditional Sub-Saharan and Halal Food Directory for newly arrived refugees to the Illawarra. In partnership with local councils in 2016, the University of Wollongong and Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District, an annual community building event 'Connecting over Fair Food' was launched and hosted during Fair Food Week. A formal food strategy was formed for the coalition's vision of our local food system to guide all coalition activities, and in 2019 FFI the coalition successfully advocated for the expansion of OzHarvest deliveries in the Illawarra from two to five days per week. The pandemic threw a spanner in the works when it came in 2020, causing food insecurity to rise. FFI mobilised local food security stakeholders to provide a rapid coordination response, including the establishment of food distribution hubs and provision of our regularly updated Low Cost & Free Meals Directory.
Explore Our Food Directory
Lighthouse Community Kitchen
Bulli Community Centre
Wan Long Oriental Supermarket
Bulli Greengrocer
Stories
Learn About
What's Happening
How to Donate Food as a Hospitality or Food Retail Business
Cook, Chill, Chat is expanding outside the Illawarra for the first time
Strengthening Australia’s Food Security: Our Submission to the National Food Security Strategy
Introducing the Illawarra Regional Food Hub project
