New Zealand Local Hero of the Year

Winners 2020

The Kiwibank New Zealand Local Hero of the Year Award aims to identify & reward everyday people doing extraordinary things in their local communities. The New Zealand Local Hero of the Year Awards recognises the enormous contribution, sacrifice and commitment of Kiwis who selflessly work to make their local communities a better place.

Nick Loosley

winner

Since Nick Loosley established Everybody Eats two years ago, he has saved more than 30 tonnes of good food from going into landfills and provided more than 30,000 restaurant-quality meals to people, most of whom could not afford to pay.

Everybody Eats is a registered charity but aims to cover most costs through the pay-as-you-feel model, rather than with grants and agency funding.

Nick has also been able to involve a diverse volunteer base to support the restaurants. These volunteers include chefs and those with restaurant experience through to home cooks and those who are just excited by and want to support his vision.

The point of difference at Everybody Eats is that this is not a regular soup kitchen. While its main reason for being is to feed those who are struggling financially, the restaurant is open to anyone. The volunteer-run restaurant promotes connection by using communal tables and breaks down social barriers with people from all walks of life, and different cultures all enjoying a meal together.