A NEW kitchen is on the cards for One Umbrella Australia (OUA), a charitable organisation with administration offices in Yarraville.
The group ‘rescues’ food that would usually be thrown away by organisations such as hospitals and bakeries and redistributes the items to the underprivileged.
These items could include packaged juices or fruits that were in good condition.
The group’s production manager, Julien Jane, said several organisations in Footscray and other parts of Melbourne received the free goods.
“We also make things like quiches and pies and all sorts of homemade things that people actually love and they don’t get anywhere else,” she said.
Volunteers at the organisation’s Southbank-based kitchens cook these items from basic products provided by small businesses.
Ms Jane said the organisation mainly received donations from small businesses such as from the sandwich chain Blue Bag, Pampas Puff Pastery and Costa’s Fruit and Vegetables.
“We have not spent one cent on food for four years,” Ms Jane said.
“On average we make about 800 meals a day and make meals that are as nutritious as possible.
“The people that we are feeding usually have a lack of fibre and protein in their diet.”
Last financial year OUA made 256,000 meals for 56 agencies operating in the welfare sector.
“A new kitchen would mean that instead of producing 250,000 meals we could possibly produce 1 million meals, that’s our aim,” Ms Jane said.
The state government announced $70,000 in funding for the organisation to build an advanced kitchen, however where the kitchen will be located is yet to be decided.
The organisation has a pool of 700 volunteers to assist with the cooking process, many students or members of staff from large organisations who want to be involved in community service.
Charitable organisations which accept the meals usually visit the Southbank kitchens to load up the goods.
“We only deliver to the agencies in Footscray,” Ms Jane said.
“We leave it up to the agencies to decide how many meals they want and how they distribute it.
“They also have to distribute the meals freely or else they get chopped off our list.
“But we have a good working relationship – we are all in this together.
“We are all trying to do the very best we can for many people less fortunate than us.
“Our philosophy is to save as much food from going into landfill and to redistribute that to the welfare sector, so the welfare sector can then use the funds saved to work on other projects for people in need.”
One Umbrella Australia has been running since late 2000.
