The Everyday Foundation raised over $204,000

Who

The Everyday Foundation is a Sunshine Coast charity dedicated to alleviating food insecurity through a range of community support programs.

Now in its second year, The Zaleta – Love Food, Give Food Long Lunch has quickly become the Foundation’s flagship fundraising event. More than just a fundraiser, the event brings together local businesses and the wider community in partnership to make a meaningful impact.

Thanks to the generosity of sponsors covering all event costs, every dollar raised from ticket sales and on-the-day fundraising goes directly towards supporting those in need.

What

The Zaleta first launched in 2024, raising an impressive $104,000 in its debut year.

Hosted at the stunning Flaxton Gardens, the 2025 edition returned on 29th August as a long lunch event. Guests enjoyed a three-course meal, live music, heartfelt speeches, and a lively fundraising program that included:

• A live auction
• Silent auction
• Raffle
• Champagne bar

With a mix of community spirit and entertainment, the Long Lunch has quickly grown into one of the Sunshine Coast’s most anticipated fundraising events.

How

Fundraising began months before the event itself. The Love Food, Give Food campaign launched three months out, encouraging donations and building momentum across the community.

Ten days before the lunch, the silent auction went live via Givergy. Guests and supporters could browse and bid on items ahead of time, with the link shared via email, social media, and the Foundation’s website. Details of live auction items were also published so guests could plan their bids in advance.

On the day, QR codes linked directly to the Givergy platform, printed in event programs and displayed alongside auction items. The Emcee reminded attendees throughout the afternoon, ensuring maximum engagement.

Learning from 2024’s connectivity challenges, the team also secured a sponsored Wi-Fi solution, making sure bidding was seamless this year.

Result

The 2025 event raised a record-breaking $204,000 — nearly double the amount raised in its first year.

• Attendance: 240 guests (up from 227 in 2024, the maximum capacity of the venue).
• Community engagement: Stronger momentum and higher traction on social media, fuelled by the success and imagery from the inaugural event.
• Impact: Funds raised will allow the Everyday Foundation to continue meeting people in their place of need and expanding its food security programs.

Top Tip: “Launch your silent auction ahead of the event. We opened ours 10 days early and even reached out to key supporters to spark bidding momentum.

We don’t set reserves or starting bids on donated items — it encourages competition and keeps energy high. While only about half of our items reached market value, overall, it paid off.

This year, we also added ‘pay it forward’ items, like funding a new industrial dishwasher for our building renovation. These tangible contributions gave donors a direct connection to the impact they were making.

Finally, share your auction link widely — even with those not attending — and use Givergy’s platform to make participation as easy as possible.”