Born from a desire to see families supported by their community members, Bellyful has been nourishing and connecting communities for nearly 15 years.
Becoming a member of the nationwide organisation, Sarah Kerby was instrumental in establishing the Nelson branch in 2018 and is very deserving of this month’s Local Legend award.
After a conversation with a friend who was already an active volunteer, a team of like-minded individuals was brought together to form a Nelson branch.
“We had our first referral within twenty minutes of quietly launching our Facebook page. There was a huge need for Bellyful in our community, and it makes me feel good to help people going through a tough time.”
Bellyful nourishes and connects communities by cooking and delivering free meals to whānau with babies or young children, who need support.
“It has been one of the most fortunate spontaneous decisions I have ever made. Through volunteering with Bellyful, I learned about volunteer management, public speaking, fundraising, and stakeholder management with our awesome sponsors.
"It led to an incredible role which kickstarted an absolute dream career for me. One of the best parts of the journey has been connecting with an amazing team of community-minded people. There’s immense power in collective action with people that share your values, and together we’ve made thousands of meals for local families in need of a bit of support.”
Sarah’s dedication comes from an absolute commitment to create positive change, she says. “There’s so much joy to be found in making a meaningful impact to people, even if it’s just dropping off some macaroni cheese to a new mum.
"Every effort you can make, no matter how small, contributes to building a better community. When you volunteer you give so much to others, and in return you learn amazing skills, meet incredible people, and receive a wealth of experiences, opportunities, and fulfilment.
"People were incredibly kind and helpful to me when I was a single mum, and I felt a responsibility to continue to pay that forward. When my youngest son was diagnosed with cancer a couple of years ago, I was overwhelmed by the support we received from our community. We actually received Bellyful meals over this time, so I know firsthand what a big difference these make to families going through a challenging time.”
