The official launch of a brand new 2,000sqm warehouse in Kewdale on Thursday is expected to result in approximately 20 million more meals each year for those most in need.
The new SecondBite facility - five times larger than the previous warehouse - was partly supported by a $1.2 million Lotterywest grant and has been operational since late July.
One of Australia's leading food rescue organisations will now target food rescue increases of one million kilograms per year in WA during the next two to three years, and around 10 million kg in the next seven to 10 years.
SecondBite can now significantly increase rescued food volumes and expand delivery reach of surplus food across WA, including weekly distributions to regional hubs like Narrogin, with six trucks operating out of Kewdale, one with a 14-pallet capacity.
Ngarluma Yindjibarndi Foundation Ltd (NYFL), which partnered SecondBite in June 2021 to deliver a community-owned and culturally grounded response to food insecurity in the West Pilbara, is one of several First Nations cohorts to benefit from the expansion.
At the heart of its partnership is the Ieramugadu Store Maya, a Traditional Owner-designed and led initiative operated by NYFL built on the cultural principle of 'Nyinyart', which loosely translates to "reciprocity" in local language.
Through the Ieramugadu Store Maya, Aboriginal people can access free and low-cost food in a space they feel belongs to them, ensuring dignity and ownership in meeting daily needs, with much of the food available rescued as part of NYFL's partnership with SecondBite, reducing waste while addressing hunger.
"The partnership has enabled many families across the West Pilbara to access good food," senior Ngarluma Elder Violet Samson said.
"This means that instead of spending all our money on groceries, families can now pay bills or buy essentials for their little ones. It has made a real difference."
Food insecurity is particularly acute in the region, with a 2024 Regional Price Index showing the cost of basic goods in regional WA was at least 15 per cent higher than in Perth.
For families in remote Aboriginal communities, accessing a simple basket of goods can be even more expensive and difficult, making such initiatives essential.
"The West Pilbara is one of the most economically productive regions in Australia, yet many of the most vulnerable people here are going hungry or forced to sacrifice on other basics just to access food," NYFL chief executive officer Sean-Paul Stephens said.
"That is absurd. While partnerships like ours with SecondBite are critical, we also need systemic reform to address the structural issues driving food insecurity in regional and remote communities."
A core cultural principle of NYFL is sharing intellectual property and learnings, so that other Aboriginal communities across Australia can design their own solutions to food security.
NYFL hoped its model inspired and supported other communities to establish similar initiatives - including through local partnerships with SecondBite - but tailored to their own cultures, needs, and circumstances.
The opening of SecondBite's new Kewdale warehouse will further strengthen this vision, by allowing better distribution of rescued food into southern regions of WA, creating opportunities for Aboriginal communities outside the Pilbara to design culturally safe, community-owned approaches to food security.
