Everybody Eats food rescue charity to launch community dinners in Northland

Everybody Eats founder Nick Loosley is bringing his community initiative to Northland.

A New Zealand food rescue charity that serves restaurant-quality food to those who can’t afford the luxury of eating out is launching in Northland.

Everybody Eats currently has three restaurants, two in Auckland and one in Wellington, which operate on a pay-what-you-can system, where diners pay it forward so others can enjoy a meal out regardless of their financial situation.

Now, the Northland Women’s Club has partnered with the charitable organisation’s founder, Nick Loosley, who owns The Gables Osteria & Enoteca in Russell, to bring the community initiative north.

Northland Women’s Club members will attend a dinner party on May 26 to fundraise for a community dinner held the following night at 6pm.

Both events will be held at The Gables and include an entrée, main, and dessert, with vegetarian options.

“If it goes well, we’ll do it with some degree of regularity,” Loosley said.

“There are a huge number of people in the Far North who simply can’t afford to go out for a meal with their family.

“They’ve never had the opportunity to eat with us.

“My family has owned The Gables for nearly 50 years, so to be able to invite the whole community feels really special.”

Established in 2017, Everybody Eats reduces food waste, food insecurity, and social isolation by providing a welcoming space for the community to share a meal, regardless of their circumstances.

Food is sourced from businesses and other food rescue charities which may be short dated, labelled wrong, or businesses may have have simply ordered too much.

There are no fixed prices; diners are invited to pay it forward to help subsidise meals for others.

Loosley said the organisation had a desire to expand beyond the main centres and Northland was a good fit.

The Gables in Russell will host a community meal hosted by Everybody Eats which operates on a pay-what-you-can system.

“We’re aware of the need in the whole of Northland; there’s food going to waste, people going hungry ... now we’ve got well-established restaurants, we’re keen to expand.

“The Far North is very high need in terms of food poverty, so it makes a lot of sense.

“The hope is we get people who haven’t dined at the Gables before ... who can have that same experience that others have and don’t feel stigma or shame.

“They can just go out for dinner, which a lot of people in society don’t do.

“It’s very cool from a Gables perspective to give people that chance.”

Since the Northland Women’s Club was established in 2022, it has grown from 13 founding members to a network of over 330, raising more than $200,000 for local charities.

A spokesperson said the events would “bring together members, supporters and the wider community for an evening that ... celebrates the power of collective giving”.

“With its focus on dignity, sustainability and connection, Everybody Eats offers more than just a meal, it offers a sense of belonging.

“It’s about community, connection and creating real impact in a way that is inclusive and sustainable.

“Bringing Everybody Eats to Northland is something we are incredibly proud to be part of.”

Jenny Ling is a senior journalist at the Northern Advocate. She has a special interest in covering human interest stories, along with finance, roading, and social issues.