OCTEC has continued its commitment to supporting local communities by donating $20,000 to FoodCare Orange, a vital not-for-profit organisation providing affordable and rescued food to individuals and families experiencing hardship.
FoodCare Orange has been operating for over 13 years, growing its service from one day per week to four days. FoodCare Orange Coordinator, Tim Mordue, said they support more than 10,000 customer visits per year.
“FoodCare came about on the back of a few community-minded people who realised there wasn’t a service like this in Orange. In the last financial year alone, we’ve seen over 10,000 customer visits – that’s about 250 per week. We help single parents, people with disability, those escaping domestic violence, and people who have suddenly lost their income.”
TIM, FoodCare Orange Coordinator
FoodCare combines affordable shopping with free healthy food options, including locally sourced produce. Customer’s pay a minimum of $8 to shop, with access to discounted food products. This also includes free fruit, vegetables, milk, eggs and bread.
“We know from research that our customers often don’t buy as many healthy, nutritious options, so we encourage those choices by providing fruit and vegetables for free. Last financial year, we gave away around $80,000 worth of donated food for free to people in need,” Tim explained.
FoodCare operates due to the dedication of its volunteers and the support of organisations.
“Over 100 volunteers keep the service running. It wouldn’t operate without the good people who give their time. They rescue food, run the shop and drive the free bus service – helping people who are really doing it tough,” said Tim.
OCTEC’s donation will assist FoodCare in continuing to supply fresh produce and maintain its emergency shopping space for those in crisis.
OCTEC Board Member Reg Kidd visited FoodCare Orange to talk with Coordinator Tim Mordue about their services and pass on a significant cheque.
“This is just another example of what OCTEC is doing in Orange and beyond. FoodCare is one of those hidden gems. It’s run by amazing volunteers and fulfils a critical need in our community. We all need to get behind something like this.”
REG KIDD, OCTEC Board Member