By Corey Everitt
Food rescue organisation OzHarvest will expand their work through the South East to combat rising local demand with a new hub to be built in the region.
OzHarvest will receive $200,000 from the State Government’s Community Food Relief Program to go to a new operational hub in the South East.
As the cost of living is rising, OzHarvest said, food insecurity is becoming the norm for more and more families. Reports from their agencies show a 29 percent increase in demand and 74 percent of those agencies are requesting more food for their service.
OzHarvest has 146 charities on their waitlist, 42 percent of them are reportedly located in the South East of Melbourne.
As part of their overall response to the demand, OzHarvest will establish a new warehouse and distribution centre to expand their local capabilities in the growing South East.
12 new charities could be serviced with the establishment of the new hub across Cardinia, Casey, Frankston, Greater Dandenong, Knox, Monash and Mornington Peninsula.
Currently, OzHarvest deploys three vehicles to deliver produce across the area, with this new hub they say 3 tons of additional food or 6000 meals could be saved each week.
OzHarvest Melbourne currently rescues 174 tonnes of food each month, delivering over 350,000 meals to 137 charitable agencies across the Melbourne Metropolitan area and beyond.
You can support OzHarvest’s efforts to establish the hub from either donations or the lending of equipment and space, to find out more contact Manager Christine Crowley at christine.crowley@ozharvest.org
