How does a retired biochemist conjure food for the hungry out of thin air?

Canberra is known as an affluent city, but as the cost of living bites, more and more Canberrans are going hungry each day.

In this episode of Ginninderry’s Inspire podcast, host and Head of Sustainability and Community Development Jessica Stewart sits down with former Multicultural Volunteer of the Year, Mohammed Ali, to talk about his charity HelpingACT and the enormous impact it is having in tackling hunger across the city.

For the past five years, HelpingACT has delivered food to the table of some of Canberra’s most vulnerable citizens – including low-income families, refugees and asylum seekers, homeless people, international students, and anyone else in need.

Mohammed explains that despite being an outwardly wealthy city, Canberra has pockets of desperate need where people are falling through the cracks of government assistance or simply cannot make a low wage stretch far enough for rent and food.

Whether it is caused by escaping domestic violence, unemployment, having a disability or being a new refugee to Australia, Mohammed believes a full stomach is the way to dignity and hope.

He has organised for thousands of meals to go to those who are hungry, including in a partnership with Ginninderry which has resulted in HelpingACT receiving its very own food van. And he has plenty more work to do.

As Mohammed explains to Jessica, there is no feeling more satisfying than knowing a mother can put her child to bed with a proper meal in their tummy somewhere in Canberra tonight, or a newly arrived asylum seeker can feel safe, full, and cared for in their new country.

Watch more episodes of the Inspire podcast series on Ginninderry’s YouTube channel.