Download - Our mission - acncpubfilesprodstorage.blob.core.windows.net... · Web viewThe word grateful gets thrown around a lot in this day and age I am of the opinion that if one is truly

Dig In: Annual Report 2018 ANNUAL REPORT

Dig In: Inc

Our mission

To provide all members of society access to a warm nutritious meal. Our ambition is to develop an efficient meal distribution network that provide meal security for all our members in need.

Our vision

Our objective: improve access to wholesome meals.

Our primary goal at Dig In is to ensure every disadvantaged person in Brisbane has access to a filling, nutritious and wholesome meal.

We engage our community to provide their invaluable experience and expertise to fund, cook and serve our meals.

We are constantly searching for additional funding sources to allow us to further develop and expand our charitable endeavours.

Our History

Dig In is a non-profit organisation establish by a group of like-minded University Students who graduated in 2014. Our primary goal is to provide nutritious, wholesome meals to every disadvantaged person in the Brisbane community and since our inaugural service on October 28th 2017, we have served over 11,500 meals from Ivory Street Park, every Saturday at 5pm.

People from all walks of life bring different skills, experience and values and we believe that only in working together as a community can we create an effective framework of support for the disadvantaged and make a real difference in peoples' lives.

For those we serve, the meals we provide are about so much more than food. All great conversations take place over a meal and only by establishing a dialogue can we break down stereotypes and truly connect with one another. In most cases, people become homeless after only three or four significantly traumatic events occur in a short space of time and without family or friends to rely on, many are forced onto the street. Lacking basic necessities like food and shelter, these people can feel shunned by their community and without the proper support, most struggle to improve their circumstances.

_____________________________________________________________________________________Annual Report 2018 Dig In 2

CONTENTS

ContentsOur mission.......................................................................................................................................................................2

Our vision..........................................................................................................................................................................2

Our objective: improve access to wholesome meals.....................................................................................2

Our History.......................................................................................................................................................................2

ABOUT US.........................................................................................................................................................................5

OUR PEOPLE.....................................................................................................................................................................6

CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT Curtis Sciacca – President.........................................................................................................7

OUR OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES:....................................................................................................................................8

2.0 Efficient Resource Distribution:..........................................................................................................................8

3.0 RETURN ON INVESTMENT:...........................................................................................................................8

4.0 Team Behind the Project:....................................................................................................................................8

TREASURER’S REPORT.....................................................................................................................................................11

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS................................................................................................................................................13

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS & THANK YOU.............................................................................................................................15

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE...............................................................................................................................................17

CONTACT US...................................................................................................................................................................18

_____________________________________________________________________________________Annual Report 2018 Dig In 3

Section 1 An Overview of Dig In

SECTION 1

ABOUT US

Dig In was established by a group of like-minded entrepreneurs in 2017 with a view to creating the most inclusive and accessible charity in Brisbane. We value working together as a community and aim to achieve this by engaging people from all walks of life to help those in need.

Different groups bring different skills, ideas, and values and by working together we can find the best possible solutions for helping others. United behind this common purpose, we aim to develop a platform to do some good and make a difference in our community. Our founders have taken part in charitable work both in the Brisbane area and overseas. Our experience ranges from volunteering in the local Brisbane area, to helping construct schools in the remote parts of the Borneo jungle. In establishing our own charitable organization, we hope to cultivate a sense of community as well as make a real difference to the lives of those in need.Our organization is structured to limit unnecessary costs and extract the maximum value from our funding to benefit the most people. We work tirelessly to ensure every dollar donated is spent as efficiently as possible, while constantly seeking innovative solutions to fund and expand our mission.

_____________________________________________________________________________________Annual Report 2018 Dig In: Inc 5

Section 1 An Overview of Dig In OUR PEOPLE

Board members/TrusteesName Position Dates acted

(if not for whole year)Curtis Sciacca President 2018Daniel Marshall Vice-President 2018Lucas Ryals Treasurer 2018Hamish Foley Sectary 2018Thomas Grogan Chief of

Operations 2018

Jessica Pagden Chief Marketing Officer

2018

OUR SUPPORTERS

Platinum


Section 3 Finance

CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT Curtis Sciacca – President

Dig In has grown from humble beginnings over the years. Once we served 40 people now we serve over 140 people weekly. We have expanded significantly and have sort to change, evaluate and improve what we do and strive for. With special thanks to our partner charities and sponsors Dig In has had an incredibly successful year that has seen much growth. Our strategic partnerships and ever-growing volunteer list have made for a great 2018 period.

As we look to the horizon, I can say with much confidence that Dig In will expand its mission of providing a warm nutritious meal for all those in need. Over the last few years, we have developed and worked with various members of the community to create an exciting project which will launch in beta in the second quarter of 2019. Much of the build-up of this work was carried out during the 2018 period. This project is as much exciting as it is revolutionary and has the potential to provide 24/7 meals efficiently. All while being a fraction of the cost that traditional meal distribution models offer.

It has been an absolute pleasure running Saturday afternoons with our team and many volunteers. From chopping onions, boiling water for pasta to buttering garlic bread it is clear to see a great deal of effort dedication by all our volunteers. Some of my fondest moments of 2018 was seeing new volunteers be welcomed into the kitchen, taught to cook meals from our family recipes and then serve these meals to those in need.I have seen plenty of volunteers come to Dig in, who in their words are ‘nervous’ and 'warry' of those in the marginalised community. these people generally believe the stereotype the broader society places on 'homeless people'. As is always the case new volunteers will come down and serve food to those in need and each and every time volunteers who fell into the trap of believing stereotypes walked away with a greater appreciation and sense of humanity after serving at Dig in. The barriers and boundaries are constantly being broken and people soon come to realise over a gentle conversation that anybody could find themselves in the unfortunate and devastating position of being left homelessness. Not only do many change their perspective on what the face of homelessness looks like they develop a great empathetic sense to those in need and continue to come back week in week and volunteer to help.

It is a proud moment to say a group of young people have created a platform that not only provides meals for those in need but creates and installs values of community and humanity between people of various walks of life. I find myself always looking forward to Saturday's cooking in the kitchen, meeting new faces, catching up with friends, serving food to people who were once strangers but now are close friends and acquittances. There is something about charity that is addictive, knowing that you can and do make a difference in the world is something that drives me daily. Serving someone in need a warm homecooked meal means more than nutrition it is a perfect ice breaker to start a conversation, develop connections and most importantly let people know they are not alone in the world and that there are people out there who care.

The issue of homelessness faces many problems in society but by far the most damaging is being 'invisible'. Many people are 'too busy' to care or notice someone in need, it only takes a walk around central station in Brisbane's CBD between 8-9am to see this. People going about their normal lives walking over, around and ignoring those in need. This is what I'd describe as a purposeful ignorance to humanity. Community issues require a community response. Many people who are in a position to help often don't and that is something Dig In tries to challenge and change daily via growing awareness, strategic cooperate partnerships and grass root volunteer training and education.

The word grateful gets thrown around a lot in this day and age I am of the opinion that if one is truly grateful, they do more than say it. They should show it by giving back in any way possible and by any means. Many hands make light work and if more people whereof this mindset the world would be a remarkably better place. I am extremely proud of all the volunteers who have given up their time to help us. My sincere thanks goes to the administrative team who labour away on weekly duties and running serving days. To those, we serve and feed on a Saturday it has been a true privilege to hear your stories, form friendships and to catch up and have a weekly chat. I look forward to another exciting year for Dig In in 2019.

Yours, Faithfully, Curtis SciaccaPresident and Co-Founder


Section 3 Finance ABN: 91 868 380 784 | Australian Charities and Not for Profit Commission (ACNC) registered.

OUR OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES:

Dig in has served over 10,500 meals in 2018. We have also provided various types of hygiene products, bags, clothing and medical supplies to those in need. In addition to our primary meal service on a Saturday afternoon Dig In has endeavoured to create a meal distribution network with the ability to scale and feed thousands of people efficiently, this will be achieved by the Dig In Meal Network, centred around our custom designed Hot Food Vending Machines.

1.0 Meal Security Dig In is aiming to revolutionise the meal distribution service by offering a 24/7 accessible, warm, nutritious meal vending machines. As it currently stands those in the marginalised community must commute to food serving locations, line up and travel home all for a warm meal. Due to external events like missing public transport and the threat of violence, many members of this community are under significant threat from meal insecurity. Meal insecurity is a state in which “consistent access to adequate food is limited by a lack of money and other resources". We have seen first-hand people avoiding coming out after dark to get a meal as they are too scared due to a history of domestic violence. It is unacceptable for these vulnerable people to go without a meal. Furthermore, given the large numbers of people lining up for meals, there is at times conflicts between individuals and a breakdown of a relationship between individuals. This can lead to people avoiding others and their know places of association. Vending machines help mitigate against these social barriers to food insecurity and offer an equitable solution for all patrons signed up to the Dig In Meal Network.

2.0 Efficient Resource Distribution:The charitable dollar can only stretch so far, and while all parties are doing fantastic work, in some instance’s inefficiency and the growing extent of the cost of resources can undermine the scalability and number of meals organisations can hand out. As sadly the increasing trend of homelessness places further strain on charitable originations and these inefficiencies can lead to the undermining of finances and can cripple charities. As it currently stands Food Vans have an average cost of $55,000+, require several volunteers to run, cook, help serve, have significant operating expenses such as registration, fuel, insurance and so on. This is all in addition to the cost of ingredients and labour cost of creating a meal. We value maintaining relationships with those who are marginalised, and we never wish to replace the human connection formed by serving a warm meal with a machine. We believe both distribution channels can and will co-exist, much like traditional vending machines co-existing with cafes and restaurants. We are discouraged by the large cost of running a food van in comparison to a vending machine. Our machines will cost an average of $5,00 to build and install and have a weekly forecasted power cost of $150 per month. Furthermore, vans rely on volunteers who can sometimes be unreliable and only serve at specific times in the week, meaning they are parked and left unutilised for the majority of the time. Whereas our machines are always able to serve. Our machines will be held stationary and will be part of a local infrastructure so people know where they are and can rely upon them at any given time.

3.0 RETURN ON INVESTMENT: Unlike traditional investments, the return on your investment provides a significant advantage to the local community. It ensures meal security within the local area, and each machine can feed up to 120 people per day. You will be able to track the exact figure of meals served each day and go to bed at night knowing you have helped to feed hundreds of people across Australia.

4.0 Team Behind the Project: Ever since we started Dig In, we have aimed to create the most efficient and equitable food distribution channel possible. We turned to vending machines to achieve this and designed this accordingly. The design was achieved through a co-creation process between ourselves, those who are end users in the homeless community, other charities, lawyers and respected entrepreneurs. All of their input, advice and design feedback has contributed towards our end product. It is a design that we are significantly proud of. Given our unique position of serving food, seeing the hardships many face and realising the hidden costs associated with a meal service operation, we are placed in a significantly strong position to roll these machines out across Australia due to our first-hand experience and initiative in seeing this project become a reality.


Section 3 Finance We served our first meal in October 2017. Dig in was established by a group of like-minded entrepreneurs in late 2017 with a view of creating the most inclusive and accessible charity in Brisbane. We value working together as a community and aim to achieve this by engaging people from all walks of life to help those in need.Different groups bring different skills, ideas, and values and by working together we can find the best possible solutions for helping others. United behind this common purpose, we aim to develop a platform to do some good and make a difference in our community.Our founders have taken part in charitable work both in the Brisbane area and overseas. Our experience ranges from volunteering in the local Brisbane area to helping construct schools in the remote parts of the Borneo jungle. In establishing our own charitable organisation, we hope to cultivate a sense of community as well as make a real difference to the lives of those in need.Our organisation is structured to limit unnecessary costs and extract the maximum value from our funding to benefit the most people. We work tirelessly to ensure every dollar donated is spent as efficiently as possible, while constantly seeking innovative solutions to fund and expand our mission.


Section 3 Finance


Section 3 Finance

SECTION 3 OUR FINANCES

TREASURER’S REPORT – Lucas Ryals – Treasurer

Echoing what Curtis has said in his report, 2018 has been a great period of growth for Dig In. Financially speaking, we have been able to make steady gains to our donation streams by attaining various sponsors which have been critical to the weekly operation of our organisation. This has allowed us to generate sufficient revenue to consistently conduct our serving activities every Saturday afternoon to a high standard. We have also made a conscious effort to minimise costs every Saturday to ensure we are operating as close to a surplus as possible. Our revenue has been consistent but minimal so cost reduction has been an integral part of how we have been able to operate so efficiently. As seen in the financial statements below, all financial data has been accurately recorded and reconciled within Xero Accounting Software. I can confirm that this data has been recorded accurately and faithfully by the Dig In team and myself. Overall, we have enjoyed a great period of financial growth in 2018 which we have been able to establish ourselves as a growing charity from both a management and financial point of view with hopes that this will continue for the years to come.

Yours faithfully,

Lucas RyalsTreasurer and Co-FounderABN: 91 868 380 784 | Australian Charities and Not for Profit Commission (ACNC) registered.


Section 3 Finance

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS


Section 3 Finance


Section 4 Other Important Information

SECTION 4 OUR OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS & THANK YOU

MACK Marketing – Platinum SupporterA huge thanks needs to go to Sam from Mack Marketing. Sam has been instrumental in advising Dig In about digital online strategy. He worked tirelessly on the website and the end result is something the entire team is extremely proud of. Your advice and guidance has truly helped establish Dig In’s online presence. The updated website aesthetic and coded backend is a reflection of your design skill and coding proficiency. On behalf of the team at Dig in and all these we serve we sincerely thank you for your time, effort, advice and skills in helping us. It’s a pleasure to have you as a platinum supporter and your help is greatly appreciated. We are very grateful for your services, time and ongoing support, so thank you kindly.

Australian Secure Capital FundsThe team at Australian Secure Capital Fund generously donates weekly allowing us to buy ingredients, water and vital supplies. We are incredibly grateful for their ongoing support. The team’s contribution of time and resources have allowed Dig In to expand and increase our output of meals substantially. ASCF have helped us go from 60 meals a week to 120+ meals a week. For that, we are truly grateful as is the local community.

St. James CollegeSt James College has supported Dig In from the start. The school has kindly let us use their fantastic kitchen facilities from which we base our cooking operation out of on Saturday afternoons. They have been incredibly helpful by sharing their resources and networks. Without their help, we would not be able to cook 120+ meals a week. We personally thank all of St James and their leadership team for their continued support.Fareshare have been instrumental in helping Dig In by supplying a range of meals, ingredients and packaging items. Their dedicated team of volunteers and staff have helped us to grow in scale and feed many more people. Your support is greatly appreciated by all the team and those we serve. Thanks for your ongoing support.

Share the DignityShare the dignity have generously supplied us with a range of feminine hygiene products which we hand out on Saturdays. We are very fortunate to partner with them and are thankful for all the supplies we have received. These collective efforts genuinely make a difference to those in need.

Baker’s Delight ToombulBakers Delight offer a great deal of support by donating bread weekly. The bread is made and toasted into garlic bread in our kitchens. We would like to thank them for their ongoing support.

Bev & Terry for StorageDig In would like to say a huge thank you to Bev and Terry for allowing us to store our equipment in their warehouse. Without this storage Dig In would be unable to offer the quality service it has done to date. Furthermore, thank you for tirelessly volunteering every weekend since the inception of Dig in, it is efforts like this that are invaluable to Dig In and allow us to provide a fantastic operation.

Sciacca & Associates_____________________________________________________________________________________Annual Report 2018 Dig In: Inc 15

Section 4 Other Important Information The team at Sciacca and Associates have kindly provided us with office space, funding and a host of admin resources. The Principal has been a long-time advisor of Dig In and has helped us navigate through the required laws and regulations to allow us to do what we do. We appreciate the time, resources, office space, effort and donations, they have provided for us.

All volunteersOur volunteers are the foundation of what we do; without their time, efforts and contributions, Dig In would not be here today. Every single Saturday we arrive and serve. A special mention needs to go to those who have volunteered dozens of times for us. It is people like this that we can never truly thank enough, the time, effort and dedication it takes is extraordinary and for our volunteers to come in time and time again, really makes us feel proud to be a part of Dig In. This what it is all about, good people giving time to benefit others in a way that goes far beyond meals. The conversations, the support, the relationships that are built and the sense of community that is established make Dig In who we are. We sincerely thank everyone who has been involved to date.



LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

Dig In is looking to continue it’s rate of expansion focusing on being better equipped for our Saturday meal service by buying a Van and to expand the Dig In Food Network. The Beta schedule is attached below:


CONTACT US

Address: Shop 27, 20 Park Road, Milton, 4064 QLD

Contact Number: 0412629039

Website: https://www.digin.org.au/

email: [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

https://www.digin.org.au/

Download - Our mission - acncpubfilesprodstorage.blob.core.windows.net... · Web viewThe word grateful gets thrown around a lot in this day and age I am of the opinion that if one is truly

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