Shout Lunch Fight Hunger
Monday, April 18, 2011 at 7:35AM 
On Friday, 20 May 2011, all Australians are encouraged to donate what they would normally spend on lunch to Shout Lunch Fight Hunger, a one-day initiative aimed at helping the hungry, homeless and needy.
All money raised will go to OzHarvest, a not-for-profit organisation that rescues unwanted food from restaurants, retailers, food outlets and corporate kitchens across Sydney, Canberra, Newcastle and Wollongong. OzHarvest distributes the rescued food to charities and homeless shelters daily, feeding communities in need.
It's pretty simple - bring your lunch from home and donate what you would normally spend on lunch to Shout Lunch Fight Hunger. All workplaces and individuals are encouraged to join in so why not whip up your signature dish and share it with your workmates, family or friends, so they can donate their lunch money too? Just one dollar equals one meal - $10 provides 10 meals to disadvantaged Australians.
2011 OzHarvest Shout Lunch Fight Hunger ambassador and celebrity chef Matt Moran said: "Why not show off your skills as a MasterChef and impress your workmates by bringing in a plate and at the same time, raise money for OzHarvest? It's a no brainer and who doesn't want to shout their mates lunch anyway?"
According to Bill Monk from the Eddie Dixon Centre at the Paddington Uniting Church, OzHarvest's contribution has been essential in helping support everyone who comes through these doors in search of food and refuge.
Monk said: "Donations of food received from OzHarvest provide vital support to the Eddie Dixon Centre - it's our front-line service to the needy, homeless and marginalised. OzHarvest's contribution of daily food products has allowed us to make thousands of good meals here each day and every year to feed the needy. Thanks OzHarvest!"
Since 2004, OzHarvest has delivered a staggering eight million meals to communities in need. Not only does OzHarvest help the disadvantaged, it also diverts good food from being dumped as landfill. Australian households alone throw away roughly $5.2 billion worth of food every year and it is estimated that close to three million tonnes of food per annum ends up in the rubbish. Imagine how much food goes to waste in households and the hospitality industry as a whole?
In 2011, why not join companies such as the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Toga Hospitality, Vibe Hotels, Medina Apartment Hotels, Macquarie Bank and Gadens in registering for this worthwhile cause.
Here's how you, your company, your friends or your school can make a difference:
• Register or donate online at www.ozharvest.org , call Kim Morris on (02) 9516 3877 or email kim.morris@ozharvest.org
• Once registered, you will receive a Shout Lunch Fight Hunger info pack
• Each organisation needs to identify a champion or champions - for example, one on each floor, or in each department who can share the information, hand-out the bags and collect the lunch money at the end of lunch for an OzHarvest representative to collect. OzHarvest will provide as many paper bags as the organisation needs for each staff member to insert their money. We will also provide posters and relevant collateral to support this initiative.
• All money raised on the day goes directly to OzHarvest and remember, all donations over $2 are tax deductible. Why not encourage your employer to match employee contributions?
To request interviews with Ronni Kahn or for more information about Shout Lunch Fight Hunger please contact Louise Tran louisetran@liquidideas.com.au at Liquid Ideas on 02 9667 4211 | 0466 620 744 or Sally Lewis sallylewis@liquidideas.com.au 02 9667 4211 | 0410 311 501
About OzHarvest:
OzHarvest was founded in November 2004 by Ronni Kahn, an events organiser who was so stunned at the amount of food wasted she did something about it. Ronni Kahn was recognised as Australia's Local Hero 2010 as part of the Australian of the Year Awards. She has also been nominated as NSW Australia Day Ambassador for three years consecutively and was a finalist in two categories of Telstra Business Women's Awards 2008. In December 2008, Ronni was voted one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in the (sydney) magazine and in April 2009 was a named a recipient of the Vodafone Australia Foundation's World of Difference programme.
Since 2004, OzHarvest has delivered over eight million meals. Using a fleet of 11 vehicles, OzHarvest rescues food from restaurants, retailers and food outlets throughout Sydney, Canberra, Newcastle and Wollongong to serves over 175,000 meals a month to 330 charities. Thanks to OzHarvest, many men, women and children at the agencies we support now have a wider supply and variety of fresh and cooked food, fruit and vegetables which they could not access previously.
