Pathfinders Pumpkin Run

For the past four years, our Pathfinders Pumpkin Run has been a great success in helping our at-risk youth and the disadvantaged. By donating pumpkins and cooking meals to those in need across New South Wales, our young people engage in the action of generosity and feel a sense of pride giving back to the community.

Over 20 tonnes of pumpkins and produce has been grown and harvested by our out-of-home care kids and been donated to thousands of men, women, children and families in need through the Pumpkin Run since 2014.

Pumpkins are grown at Pathfinders’ Tilbuster Station working farm for young people, which is utilised as a venue to continue the work that Pathfinders does with at-risk youth and local families. Young people will be giving back to the local and broader communities by donating this produce to nursing homes, soup kitchens and other charities as well as cooking up hot meals for those who need it.

But the sad fact is, as the Pumpkin Run’s success grows, so does the need to deliver more food.

The demand for food relief is rising, with over 3.6 million Australians experiencing food insecurity at some point every year, 27% of which are children.

In 2016, more than 116,000 people were experiencing homelessness across Australia, and now almost 28,000 young people are homeless on any given night.

However, the main recipients of food relief are individuals and families of low incomes or unemployed, not just those who are homeless.

Hunger in Australia is an affliction suffered by everyone – it affects males, females, children, the elderly, single people and families, students, employed, unemployed and retired people.  High risk groups include people with disabilities, refugees and Indigenous Australians.

It is urgent for federal, state and local organisations to strengthen their efforts and commitment to helping the homeless and disadvantaged populations.

Pathfinders will launch its 5^th annual Pumpkin Run from Armidale, stopping in Tamworth and Newcastle, with an estimated 10 tonne of pumpkins. The pumpkins will be used to feed the homeless and disadvantaged across NSW as it travels to Sydney for the 2018 Pumpkin Run.