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Frequently asked questions

Everything you need to know about our Nourish & Flourish campaign.

Coles Bega donates to Nourish & Flourish

Got a question about Nourish & Flourish, we should have it covered here. If you can’t find the answer you’re looking for, please feel free to contact our project team on 6499 2222.


A: The Civil Liability Amendment (Food donations) Act 2005, also known as the Good Samaritan Act, protects food donors by limiting the liability of individuals and businesses who donate food. You are protected by the Act if certain conditions are met, namely the food is donated for a charitable purpose, that it is safe to eat when donated, and that any information is passed on regarding the ongoing safety of the food. Click here for more information on the Civil Liability Amendment (Food donations) Act 2005.

A: Food that is good enough to eat. With produce it has to be fresh enough to be edible. Community pantries don’t care about funny looking fruit or overripe bananas (these make the best banana cake!), but they don’t want produce that is beyond its shelf life.

With other goods, like packaged or tinned food, it needs to be within its use-by date, but it’s fine if it’s beyond its best before date.

A: Yes! Community pantries are for everyone. While they cater mostly for people on low incomes, they encourage everyone to swing by and see what you can find. The more affordable produce they sell, the more they can source from their donor partners, addressing more food insecurity concerns and keeping more food from landfill.

A: Food pantries are located in Bega, Merimbula and Eden.

A: It’s simple, just like a supermarket but much smaller. We recommend visiting your local pantry’s website or Facebook page to see what services they provide and when they open. Food is sourced from various donors and the Food Bank program and then sold at affordable prices to customers from all walks of life.

The funding we received for this amazing program has ended, but the project lives on!

You can still help if you are the owner of a local business and you're regularly throwing away good food. You can also help if you have a productive veggie patch at home or planning a big cleanout of your pantry. All you need is surplus food and a will to give some good.

The Bega Valley Shire's three amazing community pantries are ready to talk directly with potential food donors in their area. Get in touch with your nearest pantry using the contact information below:

BEGA

Sapphire Community Pantry
2 Peden Street, Bega 
Ph: 0490 843 518
Website for further information: www.sapphirecommunity.org.au

MERIMBULA

Sapphire Life Opportunities
78 Main Street, Merimbula
Ph: 6495 1301
Website for further information: www.sapphirelifeopportunities.org.au

EDEN

Eden Community Pantry
20 Chandos Street, Eden
Ph: 0410 225 657 or 0492 958 853 (text only)
Website for further information: www.eden.uca.org.au/eden-community-pantry

A: Most absolutely yes! FOGO is about using food scraps and organics to make high quality compost for your garden. No green bin waste makes its way to the pantries!

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