Gai Brodtmann (Canberra, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I draw the House’s attention to the work being done by OzHarvest Canberra, which is managed and supported by Communities@Work. OzHarvest Canberra is a not-for-profit organisation that collects excess perishable food from local caterers, corporate offices and restaurants. OzHarvest Canberra then provides this food to charities to feed the homeless, aged, refugees, women and youth in crisis and recovering addicts.

OzHarvest Canberra has been operating since February 2008. In that time it has delivered over 500,000 meals to 55 charities in Canberra and Queanbeyan and prevented the waste of 170 tonnes of food. It is the only service in Canberra that provides perishable food on the same day. OzHarvest Canberra delivers 30,000 meals per month from 50 food donors using only two vans and a passionate group of volunteers, and they do this for less than a dollar a meal.

The volunteering sprit embodied in OzHarvest Canberra is a credit to our community. I would particularly like to thank and commend OzHarvest Canberra manager Dave Burnet and Communities@Work CEO Maureen Cane for their passion, commitment and dedication to helping Canberrans in need. I would also like to thank the volunteers and donors who help out with OzHarvest Canberra.