OZHARVEST HELPING FEED VULNERABLE FAMILIES

In the past year, Canterbury League Club has been able to provide approximately 40,000 meals to communities facing food insecurity through OzHarvest Australia thanks to a $20,000 club donation.

OzHarvest, founded in 2004, is a leading food rescue organisation and emergency food relief association which saves surplus food from going into landfills and delivers it to people in need instead including elderly pensioners, disadvantaged families, people with disabilities and those doing it tough. Their yellow vans are out and about in the Canterbury-Bankstown community each week collecting donated food from supermarkets, cafes, restaurants, hotels and other food businesses.

“Due to the impact of COVID-19, more people are going hungry than ever before, and vulnerable families often have to skip meals so they can afford rent and other various expenses in life,” said Iris Lam, Grants Manager from OzHarvest Australia.

“We know that food insecurity, where you are without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable and nutritious food, is associated with poor mental health and wellbeing,” said Iris.

According to a 2021 report by Food Innovation Australia Limited, Australians dispose of 7.6 million tonnes of food each year, of which 70 percent of it is still perfectly fine for consumption. The top five most wasted foods are vegetables, bread, fruit, bagged salad and leftovers; and food waste can cost a family around $2,500 per year!

“It’s amazing to see organisations like OzHarvest collect surplus food from local businesses and turn them into food hampers and packs of nourishing meals – tackling food insecurity, saving money, minimising food wastage and helping divert them from filling up landfills,” said Peter Winchester, Chairman of Canterbury League Club.