AT THE BEATING HEART OF SLOW FOOD HUNTER VALLEY IS ...
OUR FLAGSHIP PROJECT
The Food Rescue & Kitchen project commenced in 2014. From small beginnings, just rescuing farm excess, it soon developed into a partnership with OzHarvest, converting rescued farm and supermarket food into nutritious meals for those in the community who needed a helping hand. After initially operating out of a commercial café premises in East Maitland, the project moved to its current home at the Maitland Showground.
Each year 50 volunteers each contribute an average 11.5 hours a month working at receiving and sorting, chopping and preparing, and cooking and packing meals for 6 local services and charities – the Salvation Army, Maitland Region Community Support, St Peter’s Pantry, St Christopher’s Food Support, Maitland Family Support and Woodberry and Tarro Public Schools. They collect the meals cooked in the kitchen and distribute them to their network of individuals and families in need. In 2025 alone, 6 tonnes of food was received and converted into 13,323 nutritious portions or meals.
This project is generously supported by the Maitland Showground and other community supporters. In 2023, a grant from the Financial Services Association enabled the kitchen to be renovated and to comply with Food Safe & WHS regulations.
In 2025 a fundraiser called a FRKing Good Night raised much needed funds for the ongoing support of this project. We thank Tamburlaine wines who was our major sponsor for the 2025 FRKing Good Night.
The Food Rescue Kitchen Café, run by SFHV volunteers on the first Sunday of each month at the Showground, steadily raises funds to support the FR&K project too.
Volunteers are always needed for this project, perhaps a shift once a week or fortnight might be just the volunteer activity that you are looking for.