Local Students Join the Fight Against Food Waste and Hunger This September
This September, local students are stepping up to make a difference in our community by participating in Snacktember—a remarkable initiative aimed at reducing food waste and feeding hungry kids.
The Australian Government estimates that over 5 million tonnes of food end up in landfill every year—enough to fill 9,000 Olympic-size swimming pools. Meanwhile, approximately three kids in every classroom across Australia come to school hungry each day. Snacktember is on a mission to change this by collecting unwanted snacks and pantry items and redistributing them to kids in need, rather than letting them go to waste.
Snacktember was founded by Lennox Wade in 2016, when she was just three years old. Her inspiration came from a simple observation: her mum complained about the uneaten chips in the cupboard, and Lennox remembered her preschool teachers telling her that some kids didn’t have a yummy lunch every day. That’s when Lennox had her brilliant idea—why not collect those uneaten snacks and give them to kids who need them? And so, Snacktember was born.
Since its inception, Snacktember has collected over 750 kgs of snacks, contributing to the delivery of more than 500 meals for disadvantaged children across Australia. Thanks to the dedication of supporters nationwide, these collections take place in schools, offices, gyms, and even homes.
This year, Cronulla RSL is proud to once again be part of Snacktember's mission. Throughout September, Cronulla RSL will become ‘Snack Central’ where you can drop off your unwanted snack and pantry items. Through Snacktember’s partnership with OzHarvest, these donations will be redistributed to children who might otherwise go without.
"As the new incoming CEO of Cronulla RSL, I am honored to support the incredible efforts of local students participating in Snacktember," says Nathan Whiteside. "This initiative not only helps reduce food waste but also makes a real difference in the lives of children facing hunger. We are proud to partner with Snacktember once again, to help our community come together for such an important cause”.
Nathan brings a wealth of experience from his previous role at Orange Ex-Services' Club, where he demonstrated strong leadership and a commitment to community-focused initiatives. With his passion for innovation and dedication to serving our members, Nathan is eager to continue Cronulla RSL’s tradition of making a positive impact.
Lennox has big plans for the future, and she’s not doing it alone. This year, she’s joined by a group of passionate young leaders known as the ‘Snack Crusaders’. These students have been participating in the Snacktember Future Leaders Program, where they’re learning about leadership while developing their own projects for 2024.
In July, these budding leaders attended a forum at Cronulla RSL, where they had the opportunity to learn from Lennox herself. They were also inspired by a talk from guest speaker Darian Brooker from We, Future Leaders - Tutoring & Mentoring, who shared powerful insights on resilience and achieving success against the odds.
The newly dubbed Snack Crusaders are now collaborating with Lennox to ensure that this year’s Snacktember is the best one yet. We can’t wait to see what they accomplish together!
How you can help:
It’s easy to get involved and support this incredible cause. Simply bring your unwanted snacks and pantry items to Cronulla RSL or any of the other donation centres (listed below) throughout September. Your donations can help make a real difference in reducing food waste and ensuring that every Aussie kid has a snack to enjoy.
Other donation drop-off locations:
imb Bank Cronulla
Cronulla RSL
Caringbah North Activity Centre
What is Snacktember:
Lennox Wade started Snacktember when she was 3 years old. Her Mum had been complaining about all the uneaten chips in the cupboard and Lennox remembered that her pre-school teachers had shared with her that some kids aren’t lucky enough to have a yummy lunch every day. It was then that she had a brilliant idea to solve both problems. And so Snacktember was born. Since she started, Lennox has grown Snacktember from a single collection at her pre-school to collections all over Australia. Her story has been featured on major TV channels and she has been invited to speak at major events. She was even featured in OzHarvests International Women’s Day campaign for 2020, alongside such inspirational women as Ronni Khan and Kylie Kwong.
The Snack Crusaders ready to collect donations, at Cronulla RSL.
The Snacktember Future Leaders, with Snacktember Founder Lennox Wade, at Cronulla RSL.