NSW Opposition Leader, Barry O’Farrell, and Liberal Candidate for Parramatta, Geoff Lee on Wednesday announced a NSW Liberals and Nationals Government would provide $200,000 to Parramatta Mission for its Food Recovery Program, which aims to produce one million meals per year for people who are disadvantaged across Western Sydney.
   
Parramatta Mission requires approximately $200,000 to renovate the premises at Albert Street, North Parramatta (temporary site of the old Hope Hostel), which includes the set-up of a commercial kitchen, cool rooms, loading dock and staff and volunteer amenities.
 
The program collects left-over fresh and prepared food from retailers at The GPT-owned Rouse Hill Town Centre, together with seven Woolworths Supermarkets. This good quality food is currently turned into meals and emergency food parcels for hundreds of Parramatta Mission clients. Approximately 100,000 meals are served by Parramatta Mission each year.
 
This injection of funds, however, would mean that Parramatta Mission’s staff and volunteers would be able to turn this food into individual meals which are cooked, frozen and made available for collection by other welfare agencies at no cost. With up to 52 Woolworths Supermarkets joining the program, as well as GPT’s Carlingford Court Shopping Centre, Parramatta Mission would be able to produce one million meals per year for people who are disadvantaged in Western Sydney.
 
“This is a fantastic initiative by Parramatta Mission and is worthy of government support,” Mr O’Farrell said.
 
“Melbourne has a similar program called ‘FareShare’ which has been hugely successful, but there’s currently no such program in Sydney,” he said.
 
“Parramatta Mission estimates up to a fifth of households in Western Sydney are concerned about putting food on the table.
 
“The program will be run largely by volunteers, hand in hand with the support of business – and I thank and congratulate them for their support of this initiative,” Mr O’Farrell said.
 
Parramatta Mission General Manager, Chris Bertinshaw, said households are being impacted by rising rents, mortgage interest rates, the cost of utilities and petrol.
 
“With wages not growing at the same rate family budgets are being squeezed,” said Mr Bertinshaw.
 
“We are seeing a growing number of people come to Parramatta Mission for support, who have never asked for help before.
 
“And with an estimated 150,000 children going to school without breakfast or to bed without dinner in Western Sydney each year, our food recovery program could offer some relief to families who are struggling,” said Mr Bertinshaw.
 
L-R: Liberal Candidate for Parramatta, Geoff Lee, NSW Opposition Leader, Barry O’Farrell, and Parramatta Mission General Manager, Chris Bertinshaw, face the cameras for the announcement on Wednesday.