New South Wales

2025 was a huge year for food rescue in NSW. The opening of our Greater Western Sydney Hub in March was a gamechanger, bringing food closer to the communities that need it most, reducing driver travel time, and strengthening our capacity right across the Sydney network. Donor and charity partners have embraced it as a trusted anchor point, and the impact is already being felt.

In Northern NSW, from Coffs to Port, Newcastle to the Central Coast, our teams are setting the gold standard for reliability, delivering with less than 1% cancellations. That kind of consistency isn’t just operational excellence; it’s dignity and trust for the charities and communities who count on us.

At the heart of Sydney, our OzHarvest Market in Waterloo and Refettorio in Surry Hills continue to be places of genuine warmth and care, welcoming hundreds of community guests every week with food, connection and a sense of belonging.

Inspiring change

Nourish celebrated its 10th year in Sydney with full classes, a waitlist of eager students, and 22 proud graduates in Sydney. The program has never been stronger and neither have the people it produces.

In Newcastle, 19 students completed the program this year. Two of our 2025 female graduates independently secured apprenticeships at different businesses, a testament not just to the program, but to their own extraordinary self-belief and courage. Our growing partnership with Belmont 16 Footers has now placed three graduates into apprenticeships and two into casual employment. These are careers being built, lives being changed.

NEST reached almost 1,000 participants in 2025, with growing demand, particularly in Western Sydney and Newcastle — matched by increased funding and an expanded team.

FEAST continues to go from strength to strength, with 319 schools completing the program across NSW. A highlight was the student-created cookbook launched at Gardeners Road Public School, a beautiful example of the creativity and leadership FEAST inspires. The program also deepened its relationship with the NSW Department of Education through the Data Hack initiative and the Food Technology Teachers Conference, expanding its influence across the state.

Connecting people to our cause

Our Sydney kitchens have been buzzing. Cooking for a Cause ran at full tilt, sometimes three sessions a day, welcoming corporate teams, new friends and returning champions through our doors. A standout moment: 90 international IMC interns for the largest single-night group we’ve ever hosted at HQ. Cooking for a Cause Kids is building serious momentum, and the newly launched G5 Event Space opened in June, offering premium private sessions wrapped in a big yellow hug, anchored by a stunning 12-metre Indigenous artwork.

In November, our HQ transformed into a telethon centre as ABC Radio’s Gives Appeal brought the whole state together, with stories flowing in from Newcastle, Illawarra, Coffs Harbour, the Central Coast and Sydney, raising vital funds for the people who need us most.

And then there was not one but two CEO CookOff events! Our friends at Three Blue Ducks in Roseberry helped us host over 200 guests who enjoyed a giant paella and other culinary delights. Our HQ became a gourmet restaurant for the night as top chefs and business leaders cooked with heart and purpose, before being delighted by a surprise performance from Aussie legend Jimmy Barnes. The room included guests from the charities we support, and the energy was unforgettable.