IWD 2023 – Supporting our local hero’s

This year we wanted to share the story of an incredible non for profit, working tirelessly to support local women and families by providing nutritious meals and food hampers. A warm welcome to Marty Rowan, the Co-Founder of Bay Leaf Community Kitchen. 

1. Firstly, how do you support women and their families in our community?

At Bay Leaf Community Kitchen, we recognise that love is the best medicine and we strive every day to share all we have with those in need. 90% of the people we assist are women and to be asked to support these wonderful women is an honour which we take very seriously.

Many of these women are mothers of children with special needs, single mums after losing partners to sickness, family breakdowns or families in financial crisis.  It is because of their natural, care-giving disposition they unselfishly take the responsibility of the family upon themselves.  

Society often pushes a narrative that womens’ success is defined by their salary, social circles and a glamourous lifestyle, but we see how much heartache and burden they carry whilst making their best efforts to love and provide for their family. For example, we are assisting a mother of several adult, disabled children. As the only care giver for these precious children, I am sure there are many nights she cries herself to sleep only to get up early and try her best again. Constant medical appointments, financial stress, emotional struggles and lack of support all accumulate into an extremely heavy burden on this woman. I suspect she hasn’t had a holiday in the last decade. Yet she remains upbeat and is extremely appreciative of the respite we provide through our weekly meals for her family.   

These are the true heroes of our broken community.

Our role is to support them on their journeys, often in their toughest times, offering hope and love through the efforts we put into our food. We feel especially committed to provide high quality meals which express love and share joy to those we serve.

2. Can you recall a particular instance where there has been a transformational outcome that has inspired your team to continue Bay Leaf’s mission? 

Our team does an amazing job and it’s the constant positive feedback we receive on a regular basis that inspires us to keep working hard.  Every week someone comments on just how much we have helped them because things were a real struggle but we were there for them. Just recently, one of the fantastic mothers we support passed away and the family made a point of letting us know how important our organisation was to them. This feedback is a great source of fuel for our team.  

3. What has been the proudest achievement you’ve had with your team so far?

The proudest moments from my point of view are those times when the whole Bay Leaf team constantly stands up for those too often forgotten in our community. They are regularly given second best when better outcomes result from giving our very best. We strive to be a voice for the disadvantaged in the community, always challenging our community leaders about their unjust treatment. We think we are changing the way people respond to those in crisis by putting their needs ahead of our own.

4. Do you have a mantra you live your life by?

Corinthians 13:13 “Faith, hope and love. And the greatest of these is love”. This is how we strive to run our kitchen.

5. Can you talk about one woman who has made the most impact in your life?

I mean is there any acceptable answer other than my wife? But if I can, I will talk about the only other woman appropriate to be named here which is my mum. She is an amazing woman. She had/has 9 children and is known for her helpfulness and generosity. As children, my siblings and I would get roped in to help her prepare meals for the Christchurch meals program once a month. She always prioritised their meal over our own. If anyone went to hospital or had a new baby, mum was the first on the doorstep with a meal and always including a dessert. I know that is where Caroline and Helen, my sisters who also work at Bay Leaf derive their inspiration from too. The love that is expressed in a special meal, made with love is so heart-warming and healing. That is what we want to pass on to others.  

6. How can the community best support your work to continue serving as many people in need as possible? 

If anyone is in the fortunate position or who has a circle of influential friends who can get together to raise funds, our organisation is well placed to multiply those efforts with the relationships we already have to ensure many more families can benefit from our community kitchen.

During the month of March 2023, we will be donating $5 from every online sale, to support the incredible work these local hero’s do for our community.