Foodworks in Yenda has begun a push to put money back into the community and increase charitable efforts, beginning with a fundraiser for the Rotary Club of Yenda.
The store held a barbecue outside the premises, providing free supplies for the Rotary Club to cook and sell with all money raised going back to the club.
Yogesh Bhatt, a grocer at Foodworks, said that they were keen to continue working with the community and putting money back into the area.
“We supply the groceries to those guys, they do the volunteer work and the money goes to Yenda Rotary. Money goes back to the community.”
The barbecue was held to celebrate seven years of the store’s Yenda location, after COVID twice-delayed the more traditional five-year celebration. In previous years, Foodworks has celebrated the anniversary with discounts or specials, but Mr Bhatt said they would be focusing on direct community support from now on.
“We normally do a 10 per cent off, or some extra gifts or something but now onwards, we’re doing this. I want to do regular things like this, and I want to often do a barbecue,” Mr Bhatt said.
The shop has also been donating vegetables and produce to schools to promote healthy living and teaching kids about the wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables in the world.
“To be honest, we’re making money. We’re not losing money, so we try to give five or ten per cent back.”
Mr Bhatt added that it was an effort to promote more socialisation among the community as well.
Bob Turner, the president of the Rotary Club of Yenda said that the whole arrangement would benefit everyone.
“It’s great. It’s good for everybody, it’s good for the town, it’s good for our club, it’s good for [Yogesh].”
Mr Turner said the money raised would go towards the club’s local projects.
“We’ve got heaps of things, it’s all local. There’s a couple things we do out of town or overseas, but mainly in the community.”
Mr Turner and Mr Bhatt suggested they’d be looking at holding a similar event every three months.
Extracted from Area News
