Last year, members of NRCF’s Women’s Giving Circle awarded a $15,000 Empowering Women and Girls grant to First Nations-led charity, The Returning, for their Postpartum Care program. This initiative provides cultural care and home-delivered meals to Indigenous mothers across Bundjalung Country.

The project aims to revive cultural traditions, where the sacred time following birth has always been nurtured by both community and Country. In these traditions, the community steps in to support new mothers and their families with nourishing food, emotional and cultural care, allowing them to rest and heal.

With the support of the Women’s Giving Circle, the program has been able to provide nutritious, culturally appropriate meals to new mothers during the first six weeks postpartum. In addition, the program has distributed essential items such as cots, car seats, and prams, while also offering ongoing access to community wellbeing initiatives.

The grant has allowed The Returning to secure a commercial kitchen, where a dedicated team of 15 women volunteers assist with bi-weekly cook-ups.

Together with Bundjalung chef and bush foods expert Mindy Woods, the team has prepared over 1,500 meals infused with healing bush foods. These meals have nourished 15 families, comprising 72 people, across the Northern Rivers region.

The families supported by the program include:

• A grandmother who unexpectedly became the primary caregiver for a 4-month-old and four other children.
• A mother transitioning out of incarceration, receiving support to keep her children in her care and out of the child protection system.
• Three mothers still living in temporary flood accommodation.
• Four young mothers under the age of 21.

The Returning has also built lasting relationships with the Aboriginal Maternal Infant Health Service to encourage referrals to the program.

One mother shared her gratitude:

“I’m so utterly grateful for the food I received from you guys. It was such a stressful pregnancy, and to be supported by you, the volunteers, the culture, and with native plants—everything just felt so filled with love.”

Most importantly, access to flexible funding has allowed The Returning to establish the program and gather the evidence needed to seek larger, multi-year funding from donors, ensuring the sustainability of the program into the future.