Stacey Renata, Apprentice Plant Mechanic from Komatsu’s Welshpool branch in Western Australia, has seen directly the type of support families and individuals need when they can’t access food. Her mother, Monica Morunga, is the CEO and founder of the vital non-for-profit Feed it Forward, and Stacey is now giving back in her own way through Komatsu’s Live your Dream program.
Feed it Forward is dedicated to addressing food security and hunger in our community. They provide meals, food assistance, and support to those facing challenges related to food access.
Stacey is a recipient of one of Komatsu’s Live you Dream 2023 grants, which gives our employees the opportunity to contribute to their local community or wider society. Stacey’s $10,000 grant was put towards organising a community-wide food drive and awareness campaign to support Feed it Forward's mission in Western Australia.
“I collaborated with over 500 Feed it Forward volunteers, local businesses, schools and community groups to collect non-perishable food items and raise awareness about the challenges of food insecurity,” Stacey says.
She says it was an amazing initiative that went beyond her expectations for what could be achieved.
“In October alone, the food drive successfully collected 250 tonnes of food, and we expect that to triple by the third week of December. Additionally, our awareness campaign reached 20,000 individuals and over 100 businesses through social media, local news coverage and community events.
“Participating in the Komatsu Live Your Dream program was an amazing opportunity, not only for myself, but it allowed us to shine a light on the collective power of a community, and how that can bring about positive change.”