Families of newborn babies in Dunedin Hospital's neo-natal intensive care unit are the first to benefit from a new charitable activity that combines corporate team building with cooking.
FoodShare has been ''rescuing'' food that is nearly expired from supermarkets, restaurants and other shops in Dunedin and is now using some of that food to provide pre-cooked meals for people who need them.
FoodShare Cooking For a Cause co-ordinator Jude Baker said Downie Stewart Lawyers was the first business to undertake a mass cooking session at the Otago Polytechnic School of Hospitality kitchens.
She said about 180 portions, including mains and desserts, were being prepared and would be frozen and available to parents who were often reluctant to leave their sick babies to go and eat.
All of the food had been sourced free of charge through FoodShare's supporters and businesses provide sponsorship and staff time to get the meals prepared.
Downie Stewart Lawyers partner Pieter Brits said FoodShare was a ''great cause'' and meeting a need in the community.
He said it was a great team-building exercise and they got to ''feel good'' about doing something in their community. Mrs Baker said professional chefs would be supervising all the cooking sessions.
FoodShare founder and CEO Deborah Manning said cooking together and making a difference was a fantastic way of getting to know people and a great way to bond with colleagues.
Contact jude@foodshare.org.nz for more information.
