Feature written by Connie Eugenio
A brown paper bag doesn’t look like much. But for hundreds of Queensland students, it’s the difference between blending in at lunchtime and quietly going hungry. For Gloria, a Year 10 student and volunteer for The Tukka Project at Our Lady’s College that bag means something more:
“Someone gets to eat today because of me,” she says. “It’s like a gift in a lunchbox.”
We are currently living in an Australia where more and more families are facing food insecurity, with every 1 in 5 kids going to school hungry. But what people don’t realise is that this issue is not confined within stereotypes and certain postcodes. “People are shocked when they learn about the real numbers,” Darren, co-founder of The Tukka Project says. “Hunger isn’t always visible.”
It started small. Last year, in a single school kitchen, sixteen lunches were packed on a rainy afternoon. “We didn’t know if it would work, but we had to try… We’d all seen teachers reach into their own pockets to help hungry kids. And, we ourselves knew what food insecurity felt like.”
Since then, the project has expanded rapidly. Each week nearly 500 lunches are now prepared in seven schools and distributed to 30 schools, with close to 6,000 being distributed since that first afternoon. But what makes The Tukka Project different is its principles. For the team, dignity is non-negotiable.
“We wanted a model that didn’t highlight the kids who were going hungry and needed food,” Darren says. “No labels. No photos. No one knows who’s getting help…Every lunch is just a lunch that any other parent would pack.”
But while the idea and the logistics come from the founders, Darren, Russell and Steve, it’s the student volunteers who bring the project to life every week.
Every Tuesday after school, Gloria and her classmates swap their blazers for aprons. In the kitchen, the energy is practical and positive: music on, hair pulled back, everyone moving in sync. She describes a busy, cheerful kitchen where ‘everyone can just have fun and put their own different kind of love in the lunches…it’s like passing on joy’.
Muffins come out of the oven, bread rolls are filled, fruit and snacks are packed, and each lunch is double-checked for freshness. What goes into the bags isn’t complicated, just real food, made with genuine care and for the purpose of dignity.
It’s about giving students a sense of normalcy and belonging. “No one wants to be the kid who needs help,” Gloria explains. “They just grab their lunch and go. You’d never know who’s getting what.”
Gloria first heard about The Tukka Project when she asked her teacher how she could help. She remembers her own family’s journey, moving between countries, sometimes unsure where the next meal would come from. For Gloria, this work isn’t just about food. It’s about giving others what she once needed herself, explaining that ‘When I’m making these lunches, I hope some other kid feels like someone’s looking out for them too.”
She says it’s also about passing on something good. “I feel like it’s a gift you’re sending to someone. You put your own energy in, and maybe they’ll pass it on, too. It’s about sharing love, honestly.”
For students like Gloria, volunteering has become an important part of school life. Beyond the satisfaction of helping others, these afternoons offer a sense of belonging, purpose, and pride. The friendships and skills developed through volunteering often extend beyond the kitchen, creating a stronger and more connected school community.
The numbers speak for themselves, but the real measure of The Tukka Project’s impact is found in every student who walks into class with a full lunchbox and a little more confidence. At the heart of it? It’s the passion of volunteers showing up, caring, and quietly making sure no one is left behind.
“I would do this forever,” Gloria says. “It’s not just about the food. It’s about knowing you made a difference, even if it’s just for one person.”
About The Tukka Project
The Tukka Project is on a mission to ensure no child goes hungry at school. Through partnerships with communities, local businesses and schools, they prepare and deliver free, nutritious lunches to students in need, while engaging volunteers and learners in the process. Their “Kids Feeding Kids” model not only provides healthy food, but it also builds life skills, fosters dignity, and strengthens local connections.
If you believe in the power of education, nutrition and community support The Tukka Project by making a donation or becoming a partner. To help nourish young minds and grow capacity together, visit thetukkaproject.org to make a donation or to contact their team to explore partnership opportunities.
About Connie
Connie Eugenio is currently studying towards a Bachelor of Business Marketing at QUT.
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