Help people in our community access food, skills and support
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Across Canberra, rising grocery prices, rent and energy costs are placing increasing pressure on individuals and families. For many people in our community, putting food on the table has become a weekly challenge — not because of poor planning, but because household budgets are being stretched further than ever before.
At Communities at Work, our response is grounded in dignity, access and practical support. Through our community pantries and our partnership with OzHarvest, we deliver their NEST (Nutrition Education Skills Training) program to help people meet immediate needs while also building confidence and life skills for the long term.
Food access without barriers
Our Community Pantries in Gungahlin and Tuggeranong currently support more than 600 individuals and families each week, offering fresh fruit and vegetables, pantry staples, and essential household and hygiene items. The service is open to anyone who needs it — no referrals, no barriers, just support when it’s needed most.
Our pantry supplies come from generous donations from the community, local businesses, and partnerships with food rescue and food bank programs. For many visitors, our pantries provide vital relief during a period of ongoing financial stress.
But access to food is only part of the picture.
Your donation helps keep pantry shelves stocked
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Partnering with OzHarvest to deliver the NEST program
To complement pantry support, Communities at Work partners with OzHarvest to deliver the NEST program, an OzHarvest initiative designed to support people experiencing food insecurity through practical nutrition and cooking education.
NEST is a program that helps participants build confidence in planning and preparing healthy, low‑cost meals, reduce food waste, and understand food labels — while also creating connection through shared meals.
As Tess, a NEST session host, explains: “The Oz Harvest NEST program is a six-week course focused on nutrition and cooking education for adults, teaching them about healthy eating on a budget, the five food groups, reducing food waste, and label reading. It encourages community connection, basic cooking skills, and life skills.
“The program, which has been running since 2012, is currently in its sixth week. Participants appreciate the opportunity to socialise, learn cooking basics, and gain nutritional knowledge in a relaxed setting.”
The program was recently run at the Tuggeranong Community Centre for our community pantry clients, creating a welcoming space where participants can learn together, cook together, and share a meal.
What participants are saying
For participants, NEST is about more than recipes — it’s about confidence, connection and changing the way they think about food.
One of the participants shared:
“You cook every single day, but you never really think about what goes into your meals, right? And I think NEST is just such a great opportunity to really get your hands stuck in there. You learn about sustainability.
“You learn about fun cooking tips. You learn about different ways you could use food that you’ve never really thought about before. It’s just such a great hands-on way to learn about cooking, and it’s just something you do every single day.
“I’ve really had a great time. I’ve had a wonderful time. You meet some really great people. You eat some delicious food, and you get to take some tips home that you’re going to use for a lifetime.”
Another participant reflected on both the learning and the broader impact of the program:
“It’s made me think more about the food I’m eating. It’s made me think more about how to make better choices with food. But also just to appreciate how lucky we are to have such an abundance of food and just how wonderful organisations like Oz Harvest are, who are ensuring that there’s less food waste and more health and more happy bellies. And the venue at Communities at Work is sensational, overlooking the lake.”
Supporting skills, confidence and connection
By partnering with OzHarvest to deliver the NEST program alongside our Community Pantries, Communities at Work is helping ensure support extends beyond emergency food relief.
As Chloe Brewer, Executive Director of Community Services at Communities at Work, explains:
“Not everyone has had the chance to learn cooking skills at home. NEST helps people build that confidence, while also creating connection and a sense of community.”
Together, these services help people navigate the immediate pressures of the cost-of-living crisis while also building skills, confidence and connection for the future.
Help our community make ends meet
Community generosity plays a vital role in keeping our pantries open and programs like NEST available to those who need them most.
As Chloe says: “If it matters in your home, it matters in someone else’s.”
Make a difference today