User:Davidsays/Fareshare

FareShare (Australia) is an Australian not-for-profit organisation that provides healthy meals for Melbourne’s hungry and homeless, using quality food that would otherwise be wasted. In 2008, FareShare rescued 280 tonnes of food from 80 businesses. More than 1,000 volunteers prepared 560,000 meals for 106 charities. FareShare aims to give away one million meals each year.

To produce FareShare’s meals, it collects quality surplus food that would otherwise be wasted - from growers, manufacturers, wholesale markets, caterers, major retailers and hospitality schools - and turns it into nutritious meals. FareShare also redistributes a large quantity of uncooked food directly to more than 100 local charities.

FareShare estimates that for every kilogram of food that is recovered, it saves 56 litres of water. It’s food recovery activities in 2008-09 are also expected to save 620 tonnes of greenhouse gas – the equivalent to switching off 953 refrigerators a year.

History

FareShare began as the shared vision of a group of individuals in 2001.

Steven Kolt, a Jewish Aid Australia member, knew of the work of City Harvest, an organisation that rescues food for the needy of New York City. As a result, ‘Melbourne City Harvest’ began in 2001, rescuing food that would otherwise be wasted. Prepared meals were collected from function halls and catering venues.

Meanwhile, ‘One Umbrella’ had also begun rescuing food. With RACV Foundation’s support, the group cooked nutritious pies in the club’s kitchen. In late 2001, Melbourne City Harvest and One Umbrella decided to merge.

One Umbrella then lobbied for the enactment of Victoria’s first Good Samaritan Bill, which provides legal immunity to those who act in good faith by donating food to charities.

In 2008, One Umbrella changed its name to FareShare and for the first time, opened a new kitchen in Abbotsford, Victoria.