Sustainable Food Rescue Program

Food Rescue_Volunteers_Communities@Work_Pantry

Communities@Work’s sustainable food rescue program involves rescuing excess food from licensed food businesses and retail outlets – food that would otherwise go to waste. This includes rescuing food from supermarkets such as Woolworths and Coles, as well as from restaurants around Canberra and the surrounding ACT region.

We utilise the food rescued by us in our Community Pantries and also provide it to a broad range of other agencies, including domestic violence refuges, disability support services, homeless shelters, mental health support groups, agencies supporting people with drug, alcohol or gambling problems, refugee programs, school breakfast programs, and other programs assisting those who have financial difficulties.

How it works

We obtain the food to stock our community pantries through:

  • Collections from our Food Rescue Program
  • Donations from individuals, groups and businesses including grocery stores and the broader community
  • Purchases from Food Bank
  • Support of valuable charity partners, including Share the Dignity.

Our volunteers collect, sort, stock, cook and distribute food to clients who can ‘shop’ for healthy food in a safe, secure and dignified environment at our Community Pantries.

Supporting our Food Rescue Program

Communities@Work’s food programs receive no ongoing ACT or Australian Government funding and rely on strong corporate and community support through sponsorships, philanthropic grants, fundraising and donations. Get in touch with us to find out more about how you/your business can support our food rescue program.

Food donations for our food rescue program

We can only accept pre-prepared food from registered food businesses. We appreciate and gladly accept non-perishable items in the original packaging, within the use-by date.

Your donations can be dropped off at the Gungahlin or Tuggeranong Community Centres, or at our donation boxes at our Best Dressed Store downstairs near JB HiFi at South.Point Tuggeranong; outside Woolworths at The Calwell Centre and next to the lift at Cooleman Court.

Each donation – no matter what size – assists us in keeping our Community Pantries stocked, ensuring that Canberra’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged have access to nutritious food.

Find out more about supporting Communities@Work by donating food or personal care items

Find out more about making a monetary donation.

Explore the essential services we provide for the vulnerable and disadvantaged members of the Canberra community.

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