Creating compassionate kiwi kids, one champion at a time
Here at Chefs For Compassion, we know that sometimes all it takes to change the world is a little support.
Since our founding in 2010, we have been determined to make an impact. The core of our efforts is to create an extracurricular activity for Intermediate and Secondary students to learn compassion. We do this by teaching kitchen skills and to be compassionate in a stressful environment. These skills are transferable into homes and the wider community.
At CfC, compassion means Loving and valuing one's self and others, by having an understanding of one’s hurt and the hurt of others, and drawing out solutions that are based in the long-term best interests of all.
As a charitable trust, we work closely with families nominated by other organisations, such as Child Cancer, Salvation Army, Oranga Tamariki, Women’s Refuge, Open Home Foundation, and Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. Our young chefs are able to demonstrate this core value by curating a four-course banquet for deserving families.
Starting from humble beginnings, as a project created by founder Marty Smith to complete with his two young children. Now our CfC programme has had a positive impact on multiple school communities.
We hope to spread compassion all over New Zealand, one meal at a time.
Chefs For Compassion 'Trust Objects'
• To promote the concept of compassion in and towards ourselves and others.
• To develop and deliver tools for practising compassion providing schools or other interested parties with the advice and help to promote compassion through Chefs For Compassion in the provision of, for example, celebratory meals for families in need or those helping others in need.
• To support and participate in initiatives resulting in the expansion of the idea of compassion as widely as possible.
• To assist with and participate in the promotion of the Chefs For Compassion objectives, and to assist with the continuing development of programs to support the expansion of the underlying principles of Compassion.
• To co-operate with bodies or organisations within New Zealand initially having objects in whole or in part similar to the objects of the Society provided that where the objects of other such bodies or organisations are similar only in part to those of Society, the Society will only co-operate which such other bodies to extent of the similarity of their objects.
• To develop and deliver tools for practising compassion providing schools or other interested parties with the advice and help to promote compassion through Chefs For Compassion in the provision of, for example, celebratory meals for families in need or those helping others in need.
• To support and participate in initiatives resulting in the expansion of the idea of compassion as widely as possible.
• To assist with and participate in the promotion of the Chefs For Compassion objectives, and to assist with the continuing development of programs to support the expansion of the underlying principles of Compassion.
• To co-operate with bodies or organisations within New Zealand initially having objects in whole or in part similar to the objects of the Society provided that where the objects of other such bodies or organisations are similar only in part to those of Society, the Society will only co-operate which such other bodies to extent of the similarity of their objects.
How it all started:
Marty, Ella and Luke in 2010
CfC founder Marty Smith has always been passionate about giving back to his community but back in 2010 he wanted to find a way to include his six-year-old twins in the act of impacting their community in a positive way. So they started cooking.
‘I gave myself the challenge of cooking through a cookbook and included the kids in the cooking’, says Marty. ‘They have a good time and hang out with dad, which is great; but then we started to think about who we could cook for.’
Marty and the kids initially completed recipes for family, friends and neighbours, but as contacts depleted, Marty’s scope grew: ‘I saw an article that said The Salvation Army had reported an increase in the number of people asking for food parcels, so I picked up the phone and asked the local centre if they had any families I could cook for.’
Initially the Salvation Army began nominating families to Marty who had come to the Sallies for food parcels, because of long-term illness or for help with their budgets. Marty provided each family with a menu of four different options for an appetiser, entree, main and dessert. Then a delicious four-course meal was delivered to the family’s door complete with handmade cards from his children. Marty decided to call his initiative ‘Chefs for Compassion’ and extended his reach to include families nominated by other charities.
‘We do this as a treat for the families who otherwise never would get to experience a roast duck or crayfish dinner,’ says Marty. ‘Nothing is spared and the families are treated like VIPs - like they’re our best friends. It’s really humbling to be able to create this kind of memory with the family and be part of it with them.’
‘The biggest agenda of Chefs for Compassion is enriching people’s lives,’ commented Dee McColl, Salvation Army centre manager. ‘It’s honouring - clients come to us and are so blown away. We have already seen so many people’s confidence and self worth grow so much when they are blessed with this opportunity.’
Marty continues with Chefs for Compassion to this day. After he completed his initial challenge he extended it to include other people, schools and kids similarly passionate about giving back to their respective communities. His greatest goal, he says, is to see the next generation ‘get’ compassion - even just a little bit more.