Leanne Johnson and Carevan Wins Jamie Oliver Food Hero Award 2024

The Kids Cooking and Caring program coordinated by Carevan CEO Leanne Johnson has won the Food Kindness Award, one of the Jamie Oliver Food Hero Awards held for the first time this year in Australia.

The Carevan Kids Cooking and Caring program in Albury Wodonga supplies healthy, nutritious food to people in need within the local community. Set up over ten years ago, The Kids Cooking and Caring program is an important part of The Carevan Foundation, preparing between 175 – 300 meals each week by year 9 students from local high schools.

Each term, year 9 students volunteer for an elective at their school where they plan, cook and share the meals they make. Supervised by volunteer home economics / food technology teachers, the meals are prepared using the kitchen facilities at each school.

Students of all ability levels are involved in The Kids Cooking and Caring program and develop maturity and self confidence in addition to valuable life lessons as they learn to work together. The Kids Cooking and Caring program provides practical skills to the students involved, combining social awareness and appreciation for people in the community who are worse off than themselves. Each and every student involved makes a real and positive difference to people experiencing hardship by providing healthy, nutritious food to disadvantaged individuals and families in the community.

A big congratulations to Leanne, Carevan and each and every student involved in this terrific program.