We are excited to announce a new partnership with Eat My Lunch (EML), a New Zealand business driven by a social purpose, to ensure that no child goes hungry at school. Since the start in June 2015, they have given over 650,000 lunches to kids in 64 schools in Auckland, Hamilton and Wellington.
Marie, our French intern, and I, also volunteered at EML last week and helped prepare lunches for 2050 kids alongside 30 other volunteers. The feeling of taking part in something so meaningful is just incredible.
EML will leave you feeling amazed, inspired and humbled.
Now, let me give you a better overview of EML and why we are so thrilled about this collaboration.
The Eat My Lunch Concept: Buy one. Give One.
Lunch with great company. Wouldn’t you like to join this table?
650,000 lunches to kids in 64 schools. How’s that possible, you might ask? “The way we do this is through a Buy One, Give One model“, explains Chet, Marketing Manager at EML. “Instead of buying food from cafés or restaurants, people who’ve been wanting to contribute to our mission of feeding more kids, have been buying a meal from EML.
Through this simple choice of buying from us, it means that they also give a lunch to a Kiwi kid, who otherwise would go without. We’ve also introduced the option to give two lunches, to enable supporters overseas to take part“.
Fresh, healthy and delicious.
Another key is the volunteers. “While we employ 30+ staff to make lunches for paying customers, we have been so lucky to have volunteers who generously give up their time to make the free lunches for the kids. The whole community has come together and, since we’ve started, over 10,000 people have chosen to be part of what we do“.
EML wouldn’t work without the volunteers. Interested? Get involved.
The inspiration and key to success
Lisa King, founder of EML, had been working in marketing for corporate food companies for 15 years when the idea came to her 3 years ago. The problem EML is addressing was discussed by many, but initiatives to improve the situation were lacking. EML was set up as a social business from the start, and has expanded significantly ever since. Lisa says that the success has come from a combination of passion, empathy, business sense, partners, volunteers, marketing and communications.
A part of The Dream Team at EML. Photo: EML.
Michael Meredith, co-founder of EML and one of NZ’s most celebrated, award-winning chefs, has been fully involved from the beginning, and still is. At 5am every morning he’s on-site to prepare lunches with the volunteers.
With Michael in your team, you’re guaranteed meals of highest quality.
An exciting future with important goals
There are exciting times ahead for EML and at Black Label, we look forward to contributing. The goal is to provide 25,000 kids a day with lunch. For some, it might seem like a lot, but as Chet puts it “If 3% of Auckland bought Eat My Lunch once a week, we would feed all the hungry kids in Auckland. We believe no child should go hungry at school, and we know about 25,000 kids do in New Zealand every day. In a country like NZ, this shouldn’t be happening“.
How can one not be touched when reading this?
High-profiles want to contribute – is Ed Sheeran next up?
Several high-profile people have been wanting to contribute since the launch, Lorde and Liam Malone are just two examples. “We welcome supporters from all over to help make a difference and volunteer to make the Give lunches for Kiwi kids in need, says Chet. “The feedback about how people feel afterwards is incredible, and explains the 3-month waitlist to volunteer. You will feel something you won’t doing anything else in NZ“.
With that said, the kids did have a wish for a someone special to come and join them for lunch when we were there volunteering. Check out the 5 sec clip below.
“Come and have lunch with us Ed Sheeran! Ed, if you come and volunteer, we’ll take you to lunch with some very special people. After personally having met these kids, I know that this would make them the happiest in the world, and Ed- you would have an unforgettable lunch that will leave you feeling something different.
How to get involved
25,000 lunches. 3 % of Auckland, once a week. We can make it happen. There are currently 60 schools wanting to be on board, which will be possible once the lunches to fund them are sold.
You can contribute too and help us to reach this goal. This is how:
- Spread the word, share this with your network
- Come and volunteer – you will love it (get in touch directly with EML here)
- Buy One. Give One – You can also order breakfast or dinner: Call 09 886 4644 / Email [email protected] / Contact EML via their website here
At Black Label, we’ll focus on getting high profile involvement to raise more awareness of this worthy cause. If you know someone who should take part, please get in touch with me directly.
Let’s do this. You will hear more exciting EML/Black Label stories this year.