The expenses of life continue to rise and the disturbing number of Australians going hungry is on the increase.
Australia’s leading food rescue organisation, OzHarvest are doing their part by salvaging food from various food joints and restaurants around Sydney that would otherwise be discarded. From this, 320 000 meals are delivered per month with a fleet of 11 vehicles.
“People are working but their money is only covering their rent and not even their basic need of food,” Ronnie Kahn, Sydney-based founder of OzHarvest told Good Food. “In the past, we were dealing only with homeless people. Now cost-of-living pressures have caused a shift.''
OzHarvest were given a $500,000 grant from the federal government this month, but according to Good Food, instead of the funds contributing towards feeding the hungry, Kahn believes the money will be better spent on nutrition education. They will be soon release a new tactic that will attempt to stop food waste and tackle hunger: Nutrition Education Sustenance Training (NEST). This two-year operation will initially target 72 charities throughout Australia, with project manager Nick Johnston visiting each organisation to guide the managers and volunteers through a three to four week course, teaching them about nutrition and health, depending on which charity it is for.
OzHarvest have recently been announced as the official charity partner for Sydney Morning Herald’s Good Food Month for another year.
- Margaux Dalgleish
