On Friday October 16th, World Food Day, OzHarvest and Finding Yellow Co. are inviting the Gold Coast to GO YELLOW and donate a gold coin to raise awareness and funds for OzHarvest. Every $1 raised means OzHarvest can create 2 meals to feed our most vulnerable, at the same time helping the planet by minimising food waste.
Oz Harvest is Australia’s leading food rescue charity and here on the Gold Coast, the small but incredible team collect up to 2.5 tonnes of quality, surplus food every single day.
They then distribute this food to over 60 local charities to help feed the city’s most vulnerable, while also diverting food waste from landfill.
“They really are the back bone for many of our City’s charities,” said Lou McGregor, Co-Director of Finding Yellow.
For over 6 years, OzHarvest Gold Coast has been delivering food with love and dignity to people suffering from homelessness, mental health issues and domestic violence.
Five million people in Australia experience food insecurity every year and the economic effects of COVID-19 mean this number is rising every day.
OzHarvest rescues fresh, nutritious food from supermarkets, cafes, delis, restaurants, hotels, airports, corporate kitchens and manufacturers on the Gold Coast and Tweed. This food is then delivered free of charge to over 60 charities across the greater Gold Coast and Tweed regions in their fleet of refrigerated yellow vans. Almost all of these charities would not be able to operate without OzHarvest’s help. A cloud-based food app helps them to connect food to charities in remote and regional locations.
OzHarvest runs a small Gold Coast operation with one Manager, three vans and drivers. Despite their diminutive size, they make a huge impact helping people in need.
- Average kgs rescued per day = 2,200 (3 vans operating – North, South and Central) = over 6,000 meals per day (up to 2.5 tonnes or more some days that would otherwise go to landfills)
- Average monthly kgs rescued = 48,900 (includes Sunday markets) = almost 150,000 meals per month
- Total kg rescued last FY18/19 = 587, 089 = approx. 1.7 million meals
- Total meal equivalent delivered since inception = approx. 7 million plus meals
- Delivery to over 60+ charities from North of GC to Tweed Heads – crisis centres, outreach programs, school breakfast and open pantry programs, women’s shelters, rehab and support centres and much more. Every kilogram of food delivered to these charities means that more of their budget can go towards other services such as counselling and support.
How to get my business involved?
If you would like to paint the town yellow by lighting up your building, your signage, painting an office wall or even creating a cocktail then OzHarvest’s Gold Coast Manager, Sally Anderson, would love to hear from you!
How can I personally get involved?
Encourage your colleagues (businesses, schools, community groups) to wear a splash of yellow on October 16 and splash out a gold coin (or more) to help OzHarvest feed the needy, share the GO YELLOW news through your social channels, and donate via the OzHarvest website link.
“This is our first year to Go Yellow for World Food Day, but our plan is to make it an annual event,” says Sally Anderson, Manager of OzHarvest Gold Coast.
Sally Anderson, Gold Coast Manager – OzHarvest
M 0479 018 285 | P 07 5628 0060 E [email protected]
OzHarvest, The 4217, 10 Beach Road, Surfers Paradise Ph: 07 5628 0060