Monday, 25 January 2010
7pm

RONNI KAHN NAMED AUSTRALIA'S LOCAL HERO 2010

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Ronni Kahn, founding director of food rescue charity OzHarvest, has been named Australia's Local Hero 2010 as part of the Australian of the Year Awards announced today at Parliament House, Canberra.

Australia's Local Hero award, one of four award categories in the Australian of the Year Awards, recognises outstanding community members who have made a significant contribution or achievement.

OzHarvest is a not-for-profit organisation that rescues unwanted food from restaurants, retailers, food outlets and corporate kitchens across Sydney, Canberra and Wollongong to feed communities at risk.

Ronni, a former event organiser who arrived as an immigrant from Israel in 1988, set-up OzHarvest in 2004 after she was appalled by the amount of food wasted by the hospitality industry. OzHarvest now has more than 600 food donors and delivers more than 110,000 meals each month to 163 charities in Sydney, Canberra and Wollongong with plans to roll out nationally this year.

Not only does OzHarvest help the vulnerable, it also diverts thousands of tonnes of food from being dumped as landfill. Ronni has also been integral in changing the legislation in four states that protects donors from any liability when supplying unwanted food.

Ronni accepted the award from Prime Minister The Hon Kevin Rudd on the lawns in front of Parliament House, Canberra.

'22 years ago when I came to make a new home in this country I could never have imagined the path would lead me here. I urge you all to find your own path to give back to our community and this incredible land. Together we can make Australia an even better place. At OzHarvest we are dedicated to helping those in need and we could not do it without the help and support of so many. I am honoured and proud to receive this award.'

In October 2009, Ronni launched OzHarvest's One Million Meals Campaign with the aim of raising $1 million to feed one million people by July 2010. People can simply donate online by visiting www.ozharvest.org

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At last, the issue the food wastage is being recognised. Just last week, Woolworths supermarkets announced a national campaign to assist with food rescue and has pledged to give $2 million in grants to food relief charities including OzHarvest.


Australian of the Year 2010 media enquiries and interview requests for Ronni Kahn must go through Nicole Browne on 0414 673 762 from Monday 25 to Wednesday, 27 January.
www.australianoftheyear.org.au.

For more information about OzHarvest, or to arrange an interview with OzHarvest's Ronni Kahn after 27 January, please contact: Sally Lewis at Liquid Ideas.

E: sallylewis@liquidideas.com.au
M: 0410 311 501
P: 02 9667 4211

Liquid Ideas works pro-bono with OzHarvest helping drive awareness and building profile to garner more donations of both food and money. Liquid Ideas does not work on behalf of the Australian of the Year organisation.

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About OzHarvest:
OzHarvest was founded in November 2004 by Ronni Kahn, an event organiser who was so stunned at the amount of food wasted she did something about it. Ronni has been a NSW
Australia Day Ambassador for the last three years and was a finalist in two categories of Telstra Business Women's Awards 2008. In December 2008, Ronni was voted one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in the (sydney) magazine and in April 2009 was a named a recipient of the Vodafone Australia Foundation's World of Difference programme. Using a fleet of six vans, OzHarvest rescues food from restaurants, retailers and food outlets throughout Sydney, Canberra and Wollongong to deliver over 5000 meals each day to 163 charities. Without OzHarvest, many men, women and children would go without a meal.