Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) is supporting OzHarvest’s food relief efforts to get thousands of meals to Victorians in need.

Over eight weeks, MCEC’s award winning chefs have prepared nutritious, cooked meals for the food rescue organisation OzHarvest to help address the ongoing need for food relief.

OzHarvest Melbourne will also host its flagship corporate engagement program, Cooking for a Cause at MCEC. In this program, OzHarvest’s chefs teach teams zero-waste cooking skills, while transforming rescued ingredients into gourmet meals which go out to support vulnerable families.

“The funding we have received to help deliver quality cooked meals alongside OzHarvest is so important to the community and helps send a message that we care about those in the community that are doing it tough,” MCEC sustainability manger Samantha Ferrier said.

“By pooling our resources with OzHarvest, MCEC is doing their bit for families who may otherwise go hungry.”

OzHarvest Victoria manager, Bernardo Tobias said the partnership with MCEC will go a long way to increase their impact in Melbourne.

“Thanks to MCEC, we will be able to get an additional 700 nourishing meals to Victorians doing it tough every week until Christmas, helping address the overwhelming rise in demand,” Tobias said.

“We are so thrilled to host our Cooking for a Cause program in their beautiful space, changing behaviour whilst transforming rescued ingredients into delicious meals to help feed those in need.”

In September 2021 the Victorian Government committed $6 million to establish a Food Relief Financial Reserve that will enhance and maintain capacity in the food relief system and deliver more food to Victorians in need and boost the capacity of key community food relief organisations.