OzHarvest has launched its own food app to tackle the hunger crisis and prevent food waste in regional communities, expecting to rescue over 2000 tonnes of food in the first year alone.
Four million Australians experience food insecurity each year, with regional areas hit hardest, Food Harvest says.
The app will focus on feeding those in locations where the OzHarvest bright yellow vans cannot reach, and is expected to support an additional 600 charities to provide an extra six million meals in its first year.
The app is part of the company's mission and in-line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals to halve food waste by 2030.
OzHarvest founder and CEO Ronni Kahn said innovation has to be part of the solution for halving food waste and addressing the ever-growing hunger crisis that effects so many families each year.
“I am staggered at how many people are still going hungry, whilst good food continually goes to waste,” Kahn says.
“Within one community there can be a business throwing away perfectly edible food and just around the corner a charity is struggling to feed people in need. The OzHarvest Food App will help local communities support each other by connecting the two on a regular basis and make a tangible difference to people’s lives.”
The OzHarvest Food app experienced “a successful pilot” with 70 Woolworths stores around the country, and the app will be made available to businesses of all sizes, helping to grow OzHarvest's network of food donors.
Any local businesses with surplus food to donate or registered charities with capacity to collect the food should apply online at https://www.ozharvest.org/foodapp/ or call 1800 108 006 for more information.