So far, we have provided 1,000+ meals to those who need it in Indonesia
The world as we know it is in a state of crisis. We’re fighting a handful of unknowns from a disease that many of us are afraid of (and some of us are unsure how to feel about), to a collapsing global economy and a dramatic shift in the way we interact with our family and friends. It can be daunting to think about this situation in its entirety, but as a solutions company we feel a responsibility to help out wherever we can. We’ve chosen to do this through food.
Our community here in Bali is facing deep financial uncertainty right now. The tourism industry has come to a sudden halt – flights are blocked, businesses are closed, thousands are jobless. In a matter of weeks, families who were comfortably supported by the hospitality industry have found themselves with little to no income and worried about the next meal.
Will Goldfarb from Room4Dessert in Ubud has been working on a solution to this since early March. He transformed his fine-diner into a soup kitchen of sorts in just six days – swapping tasting menus with takeaway, cocktails for fresh-pressed jamu and desserts for mega-loaves of sourdough. “We’ve basically launched an entirely new company in the last week,” he says.
The project is called Dharma Buns and it goes much deeper than deluxe home delivery. Using the revenue from Room4Dessert’s takeaway sales, Goldfarb has been distributing fresh, nutritious house-cooked meals to local restaurant workers who have been let go by their employers. His goal is to get good food to the people who need it and spread a little optimism at the same time.
“I think it’s really important to do something positive when things are bad and not only when they’re good,” he says. “We’re keeping everybody busy, keeping morale super-high. We just want to stay positive and show people that you can cook your way through any crisis.”
When we heard about this initiative, it instantly hit a chord. As Will explained to us, the trickle-down effect of a project like this is pretty significant. It supports hospitality workers and their families, of course, but it also keeps small-scale farms supplying quality ingredients in business. So, this isn’t simply about feeding people, it’s about feeding people well, and sustaining responsible, non-conventional farming methods that are at risk of being lost as more businesses close.
We’re getting involved by putting a portion of our sales towards meals for people who need them. The formula is simple: one pair of Indosole flip-flops feeds three hungry people and one pair of slides feeds five hungry people.
Our good friends at House of PNNY are on board, too. We team-up with them regularly through our Community Assist program – they’re pretty good humans. PNNY have designed a special edition t-shirt which we’ll sell at our flagship store for Rp.500,000 – all of the profits of which will go towards distributing Room4Dessert meals. So, by purchasing one t-shirt you can help feed 20 people. We think that’s pretty special.
This project launches today. We hope it’ll raise awareness, make a difference and brighten the lives of the people who need it the most right now.
We’re calling on all of our family and friends to participate, whether that’s by purchasing a pair of Indosoles and a Community Assist t-shirt, or collaborating with us to add more thoughtful products to our sales list. Send us an email, DM us on Instagram, or come and see us in-store. These are small steps towards a very meaningful footprint that impacts us all.
