23 Sep 2019
Year 11 VET Hospitality students have been engaged in an exciting pilot project ‘Lunch Box’ Program in collaboration with the charity OzHarvest.
OzHarvest is committed to the twin goals of assisting those in our community who may be going hungry as well as reducing food wastage. The purpose of the Lunch Box Program pilot project was to examine the feasibility of having VET Hospitality students prepare bulk quantities of freshly cut sandwiches for delivery to primary school students in areas of identified need across Sydney. The target of producing 150 sandwiches was exceeded during the first week, with over 200 sandwiches produced.
Sandwiches included a range of bread types with fillings such as chicken with lettuce and mayonnaise, egg salad, cheese and tomato, ham with coleslaw and more. The menu varies weekly based on the available foodstuffs. The majority of the bread and fillings used to produce our sandwiches were donated by commercial suppliers and were rescued from becoming unnecessary landfill.
It has been a great privilege for students at J J Cahill Memorial High School to be selected for participation in this pilot project. Based on the initial success enjoyed by the partnership with our school, it is anticipated that more schools will be involved with OzHarvest in similar projects in the future.
Due to the hard work, dedication and enthusiasm of our students, the project, which ran for three weeks, appears to have been an unqualified success. Our students have demonstrated an ability to work long and continuous hours over consecutive days to create tasty and nutritious foods.
They have been inspired by the ideals of the project whilst also developing their skills in the efficient, safe and hygienic mass production of sandwiches for packaging and distribution. Year 11 VET Hospitality students are to be commended for the considerable effort expended in this noble enterprise.
The school recognises the hard work Mr Heffernan, VET Hospitality Teacher, has invested in this pilot project.