Racing season brings Melbourne foodies and fashionistas trackside, but for those on the other side of the tracks such luxury is rare.
Community food program SecondBite wants Melbourne punters to give a sporting chance to neighbours struggling to put food on their plates, with the group chosen as this year’s charity partner by the Victoria Racing Club for its 153rd Melbourne Cup Carnival.
The money from the sale of the 2013 Pin & Win commemorative pins, including a diamonte version, will go towards the program’s target of raising $250,000 to deliver an extra 625,000 healthy meals to people who would otherwise go hungry.
SecondBite started in 2005 in Kensington with volunteers distributing food products that were otherwise going to be dumped.
Mickleham volunteer Lisa Ali can usually be found at Preston market at 3pm on any given Saturday. That’s the closing and clean-up time for marketeers and prime time for SecondBite to move in and help sort leftovers. Ms Ali will be among a squad of SecondBite volunteers selling pins on Melbourne Cup Day.
She met Coles Broadmeadows supermarket manager Alex Zahariou and produce manager Aurora Binci last week to kickstart the Pin & Win campaign.
“It’s amazing how many good people there are,” Ms Ali said.
Pin & Win lapel pins are on sale until November 9, online, at Liquorland, First Choice Liquor and Vintage Cellars Australia- wide and through SecondBite at Flemington.
» www.secondbite.org/pinandwin or melbournecup.com/pinandwin
