3,000 reasons to be grateful
In 2025, our volunteers gave more than they ever have before. More hours, more locations, more programs, more lives touched. It was the largest volunteer contribution in OzHarvest’s history, and we felt every single minute of it!
When the CEO CookOff filled kitchens with noise and purpose, volunteers were there. When ABC Gives brought communities together, volunteers hit the phones to take donations. When we expanded our NEST program to reach more participants than ever, it was our volunteers who made sure no one missed out. Our two markets and our Refettorio are powered by the precious time volunteers donate to keep shelves stocked, and dignity intact for Australians doing it tough.
In communities where our yellow vans can’t reach, passionate volunteers fuelled by purpose come to the rescue. We’re so thankful for the hard-working volunteer teams in from the Southern Highlands, Sapphire Coast North and South, Wagga Wagga and Victor Harbour.
More than money can measure
Those 118,641 hours are the equivalent of 61 full-time employees, or nearly $6.2 million in wages. But as staggering as that number is, it still doesn’t capture what volunteers give us. You can’t put a dollar figure on someone turning up at 7am to help our drivers rescue food. Or our volunteers who support education programs working alongside people doing it tough, with empathy, compassion and a smile. They are the constant presence of someone who just wants to help, and does.
To every one of our 3,000 volunteers who gave their time to OzHarvest in 2025 – thank you for being the heartbeat of this organisation.
From the regions, with heart
We welcomed our NSW regional chapter volunteers to Sydney HQ for a day of connection – teams who are often the only food rescue lifeline their communities have.
They brought stories of communities still rebuilding after bushfires, long food lines, everyday families with nothing left for the table. Their voices were united about the work they do.
“Community means family – non-judgemental, empathetic, caring, loving support. We’re here to do the best we can for those in need.”
