The high cost of living is a problem affecting many Melbournians. And being light on cash often goes hand-in-hand with social isolation. A local library has tried to come up with answers to both issues, by combining books with cooks.
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00:00 Inside this unassuming library, there's a room with no books, but dozens of people are
00:07 still learning. The library has started budget-friendly cooking classes, which offer more than a free
00:15 lunch. Gloria Khouri attends regularly, not just to learn about cost-cutting and culinary
00:21 skills, but also to make friends.
00:24 I was lonely and vulnerable, and I want to connect with people. Sometimes we need a place
00:30 to be just to interact with other people and enjoy a good time together.
00:36 Socialising is a core part of the class for others too.
00:39 It gets people away from being isolated. It's good for mental health. It's also a really
00:44 nice group of people.
00:47 Meet lots of different people from different countries, which makes it very interesting.
00:53 These cooking classes have been a great opportunity for participants to meet other people and
00:57 learn about new cuisines. But organisers are also keeping a focus on keeping the cost of
01:01 meals down amid the cost of living crisis.
01:04 We are thinking about budgets and trying to keep it affordable for people.
01:09 Food insecurity is a really big issue at the moment, with so many Australians counting
01:15 every single dollar that they've got.
01:17 It's a problem this cooking class is helping to address at a community level. But organisers
01:22 say far more needs to be done.
01:25 The right to food, to a dignified, affordable, healthy diet is a human right and that's a
01:31 responsibility of every level of government.
01:33 But for now, new friends are creating change, one meal at a time.
01:37 [BLANK_AUDIO]