SecondBite was awarded the prestigious Banksia Community Grant award at the 2010 Banksia Environmental Awards presentation in Sydney on Friday night.

The Banksia Community Grant recipient is chosen from all community entrants and is awarded to the community group that shows the most potential to create a lasting and positive impact. As the winner SecondBite received a $10,000 grant.

Katy Barfield, Executive Director of SecondBite said in her acceptance speech that in the short five years since SecondBite was created, it is an organisation that is making a real difference.

“This week is Anti-Poverty Week and in Australia in 2007 almost five percent of the population ran out of food at some point in the year and did not have enough money to buy more – that is in excess of one million people and at the same time we threw away three million tonnes of food.

“This year SecondBite will prevent 900 tonnes of fresh food from ending up as landfill; that’s enough food to provide 1.8 million hearty nutritious meals. Instead this food will be re-distributed to 160 community organsiations that work tirelessly day in and day out to provide culturally appropriate meals for people who are living in disadvantaged circumstances.

“I find it shocking in a society as wealthy as ours that so many people still have so little. I believe it is a collective obligation to ensure that all people have access to fresh nutritious food to enable them to have the best possible opportunity for improved health, social inclusion, prospects of employment and equity. What SecondBite has done to date may seem significant, but there is so much more that can be achieved,” said Ms Barfield.

SecondBite typifies what the Banksia Environmental Awards are all about – reducing environmental impact and an exceptional commitment to sustainable practices.

“We see sustainability as more than just an environmental objective, but as a complete way of operating a not-for-profit organisation. Re-distributing fresh food that would otherwise go to waste to people in need is key, but SecondBite as an organisation endeavours to be sustainable in all areas.

“We are very grateful to the Banksia Awards panel for the recognition of SecondBite and the $10,000 grant will go towards our programs and initiatives that are designed to provide lasting benefit and impact though education and raising awareness,” said Ms Barfield.

SecondBite is a dynamic, not-for-profit organisation committed to making a positive difference to people by sourcing quality surplus fresh food that would otherwise go to waste and re-distributing it to agencies and people in need.

The Banksia Environmental Foundation, established in 1989, is a national not-for-profit organisation that promotes environmental excellence and sustainability through its Awards program and other associated events. The Banksia Environmental National Awards are regarded as the most prestigious environmental awards in Australia.

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