Many of us are concerned for the environment but feel like teeny, tiny fish in a very big pond. Often, it seems like there is nothing we can do to make a difference on the national and global scale.

We’ve often felt helpless to effect any social change for those less fortunate than us, facing poverty, hunger and homelessness.

Furthermore, unless you happen to be an eco friendly green-thumb with an active compost and recycling plan, you’ve probably balked at the amount of food you throw out that you didn’t get time to cook before it began to perish.

You’re not alone. Australians waste a whopping $8 billion worth of food every year. That equates to 4 million tonnes of food in landfill. Australia produces enough food to feed 60 million people per year, yet 1 million of our country’s kids go without breakfast and dinner and 2 million of our people annually access food relief.

There is a practical, simple solution for one of our national communities biggest issues – food waste. That solution is OzHarvest.

Founded in 2004 by Ronni Kahn and in partnership with corporations and community, OzHarvest is the first of it’s kind in Australia – a food rescue charity that redistributes excess food to those in need.

The service collects quality surplus food from various commercial outlets and delivers it to charities, who then provide the food to our communities most vulnerable people.

The return is four-fold. Redistributing food waste saves masses of landfill and helps our precious environment but also, helps donor businesses save on storage and waste disposal costs. Additionally, receiving quality food products free of charge enables charities to redistribute their often limited funds to other vital services and programs and ultimately, those most in need get meals rather than going hungry.

It’s such a simple concept and Ronni Kahn’s little idea is having a really big impact. Leading global management consulting firm Bain & Company worked with OzHarvest to calculate Social Return on Investment. The result is that every $1 invested gives back $5.68 to society. And, for every $1 OzHarvest receives, they’ll provide 2 meals to those in need. Thanks to OzHarvest, we really are getting more bang for our buck.

Within the overall program, OzHarvest has developed various, unique, additional initiatives for this great cause.

Teaming up with some of Australia’s most celebrated and renowned chefs, OzHarvest has released a contemporary cookbook dedicated to favourite ‘food rescue’ recipes. With over 300 pages of innovative and exciting recipes, inspiring stories, people profiles and exquisite images throughout, as well as a long list of contributing chefs such as Maggie Beer, Miguel Maestre and Matt Moran, the OzHarvest Cookbook is a masterpiece.

Further, in support of learning and development in our community, OzHarvest offer a food and nutrition education program, Nutrition Education Sustenance Training (NEST). NEST works to provide knowledge and skills around low-cost healthy cooking and eating, utilizing leftovers, food preparation and purchasing, shopping and budgeting, meal sharing and vital skills for staff and volunteers in agencies to prepare nutritious, delicious meals for their service-users.

Continued growth sees OzHarvest expand into more of Australia, including Gold Coast City, where they’ve been delivering generously donated surplus food to over 25 charities since December 2013. According to their March 2014 local newsletter, OzHarvest Gold Coast City are delivering on average 5000 meals per week and growing.

OzHarvest Gold Coast City’s Lee Danahay said ‘We continue to be inspired by the generosity of individuals and businesses on the Gold Coast.’

Robina’s own Bond University medical students got behind OzHarvest last December by banding together with other students and donating takeaway meals. From this epic effort, 195 freshly cooked meals were delivered to those in need.

So, how can we help? Let us count the ways!

Ask your employer for a volunteer day at work and jump on board the OzHarvest van to be a part of the daily donation collection and drop off. Better still, sign up to volunteer with your local OzHarvest and be part of this food rescue revolution.

Get your hands on one of those amazing OzHarvest cookbooks or consider giving the books as personal or corporate gifts, allowing the receiver the chance to cook, learn and create.

OzHarvest also offer ‘cooking for a cause’ events, where businesses can arrange for their team to get cooking in one of OzHarvest’s kitchens, making meals for those in need. Led by a professional chef, this is a great opportunity to pick up some priceless cooking techniques, while making a real difference to our community. Watch out for Robina Group’s cooking for a cause event planned for later this year.

It’s the simple solution that is simply perfect. OzHarvest are taking what would be waste and making it worthwhile again. And, beneath the clever practicality of food redistribution, according to Kahn, there is power in helping others and ‘giving is much better than getting’.

Gold Coast City – get your give on and find out all the ways you can be involved in the social revolution that is OzHarvest.

Check out OzHarvest’s website, Facebook and Twitter to read more about this innovative and inspiring initiative.