For the volunteer who somehow always makes sure there is enough yummy food for everyone, even when there isn’t much to start with.

Ron Duffy
Ron has been a tireless volunteer at NNIC (Neighbourhood Centre) for nearly a decade, and in that time he has become nothing short of essential to the community it serves. He was instrumental in developing and implementing the Food Pantry from the ground up, and week after week he continues to order, organise, and distribute quality food to those who need it most. During the cost of living crisis, this service has helped hundreds of individuals and families put food on the table—and Ron’s contribution to making that happen has been described by his colleagues as legendary. It’s clear why he’s been nominated for the Loaves & Fishes Award: he somehow always ensures there’s enough to go around, even when there isn’t much to start with. But what makes Ron truly remarkable is that the Food Pantry is just one of the many hats he wears. He fills in at the front desk, troubleshoots those pesky IT problems, helps cater events, unloads cars, and sorts the rubbish—nothing is ever too much to ask. Friendly, engaging, and hardworking, Ron shows up for his team rain, hail, or shine, and without him the centre’s front of house would struggle to maintain its consistently high level of service. Ron is simply a good human, and his dedication has made a profound difference to the Neighbourhood Centre and the wider community it supports.

Tashanna Fuller
Tashanna Fuller is a force of nature across Nimbin, volunteering her time as president of both the CWA and NNIC (Neighbourhood Centre), as well as being a member of the Nimbin Disaster Resilience Group. Every week, Tashanna cooks around 75 meals for the Neighbourhood Centre, which are frozen and distributed to people in need—an astonishing 1,700 meals last year alone. What makes this achievement even more remarkable is that she creates these full meals out of whatever donations and Food Bank items happen to be lying around, transforming a random assortment of ingredients into nourishing food for the community. At the CWA, she cooks for open days and makes jams and pickles to raise funds, and when disaster struck during the fires and the 2022 floods, Tashanna was there helping through the Disaster Resilience Group. Her energy and enthusiasm are boundless, and she truly embodies the spirit of the Loaves & Fishes Award—someone who somehow always makes sure there’s enough for everyone, even when there isn’t much to start with.