worker Caro collecting surplus produce from Mo at Fair Food
Our vision
Connected communities where everyone has equitable access to fresh and nutritious food, with no food wasted.
Our mission
• Provide consistent and reliable access to healthy food for people experiencing disadvantage
• Transform produce that would have otherwise gone to waste into free healthy food to share
• Connect diverse groups of people through inclusive community food projects
• Collaborate with volunteers and local community partners
• Empower people to reduce food waste through educational programs and events
Our story
Founded in Brunswick in 2013, Open Table began with simple weekly dinners at the local neighborhood house—a way to “meet the neighbors” while putting surplus food to good use. Over the years, we’ve worked tirelessly to share fresh, free food with our community, aiming to reduce both food insecurity and food waste.
With hundreds of volunteers joining us along the way, we’ve grown our programs and partnerships to support marginalised and disadvantaged communities across Melbourne. Open Table thrives thanks to the support of dedicated volunteers, funders, donors, community allies, and food donation partners who help us bring our mission to life.
As an independent, secular organisation, we strive to create welcoming, inclusive spaces where everyone is invited to come together over shared meals. All our food is free, and every Open Table program is carefully designed to be warm, accessible gathering places for all.
Redistributing
An overview of Open Table
Our Impact in 2024
This year saw another rise in demand for our services as the community faced increasing cost-of-living pressures. Our team expanded both our food rescue initiatives and community food programs, while delivering an impactful series of food waste educational workshops that reached more people than ever. Through these efforts, we amplified awareness around food waste avoidance, empowering communities with practical skills and creating meaningful connections through shared food experiences.
Hosted 59 free community lunches and community free food markets
Served 3490 free fresh meals
Delivered 94 No Waste Cook Club Workshops
Distributed 5,112 Frozen Meals and Pantry Items
Redistributed over 45.5 tonnes of surplus food
Our team
CEO Angela O’Toole/Peta Christensen
Operations and Logistics Manager Adam Bell
Community Education Manager Alanna Brown
Project Coordinator Carolina Felton
Workshop Facilitator Melanie Ryan
Workshop Facilitator Melanie Leeson
Workshop Facilitator Eloise Easton
Workshop Facilitator Jessica Ridley
Lead Cook Hiroko Ooka
Lead Cook Kathryn Kelso
Lead Cook Alexandra Baxter
Lead Cook Carlotta Pischedda
Our Board
President Melissa Lawson
Vice President Tenille Gilbert
Secretary Cal Pruiti
Treasurer Jimmy Ma
Ordinary Committee Member Jessica Young
Ordinary Committee Member Miranda Campbell
Our structure & management
Open Table is registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) Governance
Our workshop team out and about spreading the word about food waste reduction at the Dandenong Market
Governance
Facilitator Melanie Leeson sharing the joys of pickling and reducing food waste at a community workshop
Chairperson’s Report
2024 marked a year of transition and new beginnings for Open Table.
We warmly welcomed Peta Christensen into her new role as Open Table CEO, and thank our departing CEO Angela O’Toole for her generosity and support during this transition period. We farewell Angela with warm hearts and appreciation for the incredible 10 years of foundational support, dedication and leadership. We wish Angela all the best for her next chapter and are thankful for our ongoing connection.
Over the past few months, Peta has been working closely with the Open Table team and volunteers learning about our current programs and sharing her extensive community food systems experience with the team and meeting with our many program partners.
Under Peta’s guidance, Open Table has continued to grow its reach, delivering our community food programs to more people across Melbourne’s inner suburbs. Our No Waste Cooking workshops have become a beloved feature, especially among university students, many of whom face serious food insecurity, with nearly 40% struggling to access reliable, nutritious food. These workshops do more than teach cooking on a budget or ways to prevent food waste—they bring people together around a shared table, fostering a sense of community and belonging in a time when many feel the pinch of rising costs and growing isolation.
Our Food Rescue program continues to build relationships with local food businesses who are eager to ensure that their food surpluses can be used to create nutritious meals for people experiencing food insecurity. Through these relationships we are pleased to report an increased
redistribution of surplus food, with over 45.5 tonnes of food repurposed across our program areas.
We would like to extend our thanks to Tenille Gilbert, our departing Vice Chairperson, for their ongoing commitment and support on the Open Table Board over the past 4 years. Tenille has been an invaluable support to our organisation sharing her wealth of social enterprise knowledge and youth program experience as well as her natural aptitude for strategic work.
A huge thanks to the wonderful Open Table team - Adam, Alanna, our amazing cooks and workshop presenters for their incredible work behind the scenes transforming surplus produce into delicious lunches and connecting people through engaging cooking workshops and community programs.
Ongoing gratitude to our new and longstanding volunteers who continue to support us week after week creating delicious food, which is made with so much care for our community. Thank you!
Finally, to all of our partners and supporters, your ongoing generosity and support is greatly appreciated. Your support is invaluable and helps us to deepen our impact and continue to build community. Special thanks to our friends at Pressroom Philanthropy, who provide incredible guidance and elevated communication materials, helping us share our story and connect with more people.
We look forward to further new beginnings and opportunities in 2025, and ensuring that our table is welcoming and always open.
Melissa Lawson, Chairperson
CEO’s Report
This year has been one of both extraordinary growth and pivotal change for Open Table, and I am honored to have stepped into the role of CEO in November 2023. Following Angela O’Toole’s decade of visionary leadership, I’m deeply grateful for her ongoing support through this transition. My thanks go out to Angela, our board, team, and volunteers for the warm welcome. My connection with Open Table runs deep, starting eight years ago as a board member, and continuing through close collaborations in the community food space, especially during the challenges of the pandemic.
From July 2023 to June 2024, Open Table has continued to deliver crucial, welcoming services that connect people through nourishing food, especially those facing disadvantage. We prepared around 3500 meals and redirected more than 45 tonnes of surplus food from landfill, turning it into sustenance and connection. Our community lunches, food markets, cooking workshops, and pantry programs remain steadfast sources of much needed support, offering spaces where everyone feels welcome and nourished.
A highlight this year was our Ethical Jobs matched funding campaign in April, which raised $9,000 in just one week, with Ethical Jobs matching this amount. These funds have given a meaningful boost to our Open Pantry program, allowing us to reach even more people in need. We are immensely grateful to Ethical Jobs and all of our generous supporters for making it possible to bring surplus food to those who need it most.
Our work is powered by our 100+ extraordinary volunteers, who bring dedication, humor, and warmth to every event. Their commitment is the heartbeat of Open Table, allowing us to serve with compassion and impact week after week.
Looking ahead, my focus is on nurturing our core programs, expanding partnerships, and enhancing our educational work on food waste reduction and budget-friendly cooking. I am excited to lead Open Table as we continue to nourish communities, reduce waste, and make a difference—one meal at a time.
Peta Christensen CEO
Pickling workshop under the trees at the Fuse Darebin Meet the Makers Picnic
Operations Report
“ This community lunch is the highlight of my week, I look forward to it and it’s the best meal for me for the whole week.”
“These lunches have really been a huge saving grace for me and my family, I don’t know what we would have done without them.”
− Quotes from community lunch diners
Open Table’s operations have continued to grow and evolve allowing us to expand our mission to connect and nourish our community. At the core of our operations, our weekly community lunches at the Bargoonga Nganjin Library in North Fitzroy remain a lively gathering place, offering not only nutritious meals but also fostering a sense of belonging and connection among attendees. We’ve also hosted monthly community lunches at the Kathleen Syme Library in Carlton, providing opportunities for people from all walks of life to come together and share a meal. At both locations, these meals are prepared with surplus ingredients collected from local food businesses and our larger food rescue partners, Food Bank and Oz Harvest, ensuring that good food reaches those who need it most rather than going to waste.
These projects are delivered in close collaboration with the libraries teams from both the City of Yarra and the City of Melbourne. We are deeply grateful for their visionary approach to reimagining libraries as welcoming hubs for community engagement and connection. Their ongoing support and commitment to fostering inclusive, community-focused spaces have been invaluable in bringing these programs to life.
In addition to our community lunches, we have delivered a range of other essential services, including our bi-monthly community markets at the Fitzroy Housing Estate. Here, community members can access fresh produce and pantry staples, promoting food security and healthy eating as well as creating a regular vibrant
community event where residents can access local services and come together in a relaxed and fun environment. Our community pantry, based at Bargoonga Nganjin Library, offers accessible food options for anyone facing hardship or simply seeking a supportive space where food is freely available to all.
Open Table’s partnerships with local food businesses and major food rescue organisations are essential to our operations. The produce and goods we receive from these partnerships allow us to serve thousands of meals and distribute food resources throughout Melbourne’s inner north. This work is made possible by our dedicated team of volunteers who bring creativity, warmth, and reliability to every aspect of our programs. This year we hosted a couple of volunteer socials, including a games afternoon after lunch in Edinburgh Gardens, as a way to show our deep love and appreciation for all of our wonderful volunteers.
A highlight of our year was the Food Rescue Hub, funded by Sustainability Victoria, which enabled us to expand our partnerships with local food businesses, significantly increasing our food rescue efforts. Although the project concluded in November 2023, we have worked hard to maintain many of these connections and partnerships with community organisations, as well as our food collection points. While some partnerships could not continue, our aim is to grow these arrangements in the coming years, ensuring that rescued food continues to reach those who need it most.
No Waste Cook Club Workshops
and Community
Engagement
Food waste is a pressing issue across Australia, with around 2.5 million tonnes of edible food ending up in landfills annually. Open Table’s No Waste Cook Club workshops tackle this issue head-on, offering participants practical, creative ways to minimise household food waste. In collaboration with local councils, universities, and community organisations, we delivered 66 fee-for-service workshops this year, connecting with diverse audiences and sparking positive change through sustainable cooking practices.
No Waste Cook Club for Students
Supported by the VicHealth JumpStart Grant, we launched a series of No Waste Cook Club sessions designed specifically for young adults, aged 18 to 25. From April 2023 to April 2024, the program provided participants with valuable cooking skills and food waste awareness. Guided by our skilled facilitators, Melanie Ryan and Alanna Brown, students created meals from rescued surplus food, learning new recipes and receiving groceries to explore sustainable cooking further at home.
While based at our Food Rescue Hub in Coburg, we expanded onto Melbourne University’s Parkville campus, working alongside their Food Insecurity Team. Many participants continued their involvement by volunteering at our community lunches, contributing to our broader mission of reducing food waste and building community connections.
Corporate and Community Engagement
Expanding into corporate settings, we hosted several successful “Lunch and Learn” sessions at the City of Bendigo, showcasing waste-free cooking techniques. Our partnership with Melbourne University also led to an engaging team-building session for staff, which concluded with a communal lunch. At local festivals and markets—including the Darebin Fuse Festival and the Greater Dandenong Sustainability Festival—our team demonstrated induction cooking and quick-pickling, engaging the community in hands-on sustainability activities.
This year, we were also delighted to host student interns from Deakin University, enriching our team and building future champions of sustainable food practices.
No Waste Cook Club Workshop, Pickling Station.
“I
learnt to be more confident in going off-script for a recipe and opting for alternatives and working with what I have at home”
“It’s such a pleasure to get involved in this fun, meaningful, and creative activity! I had a poor appetite for the last few months and this session has awakened my love for food and preparing it! Enthusiasm can be shared and I felt that! Looking forward to learning more in the future!”
− Feedback from our participants
Smiles all round with our facilitator Melanie Leeson and student cooks.
Lead Cook Kitty with volunteer Sam and some delicious dishes about to be served at community lunch
Finances
Treasurer’s Report
Open Table (OT) reported an income of $326,587 for the financial year ended 30 June 2024, with income being $57,402 higher than the previous financial year (FY). No Waste Cooking program income had increased by $39,882 on the previous FY, while donations had increased by $52,570.
Total expenses totalled $264,141, had increased by $23,134 on the previous FY mainly due to an increase in salaries and consultants.
Total liabilities at 30 June 2024 totalling $56,987, were mainly income in advance and will be recognised in the coming months.
It has been an honour to serve with the current OT staff and board members in my second year as Treasurer. The operation and performance of OT is a credit to the continued hard work of all contractors, staff, volunteers, board members and in particular our CEO, Peta Christensen.
Members are more than welcome to contact me with any queries regarding the financial statements.
Jimmy Ma CA Treasurer
Auditor’s Declaration
Auditor’s Independence Declaration Under Subdivision 60-C of the ACNC
Open Table Inc.
For the year ended 30 June 2024
To the committee of Open Table Inc.
In accordance with Subdivision 60-C of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Act 2012, I am pleased to provide the following declaration of independence to the directors of Open Table Inc.. As the lead audit partner for the audit of the financial report of Open Table Inc. for the year ended 30 June 2024, I declare that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, during the year ended 30 June 2024 there have been no contraventions of:
(i) the auditor independence requirements of the Australian Charities and Not for Profits Commission Act 2012 in relation to the audit; and
(ii) any applicable code of professional conduct in relation to the audit.
Fitzroy Estate Community Free Fresh Food Market in full swing
Financial Statements
Statement of Profit or Loss
Open Table Inc.
For the year ended 30 June 2024
Statement of Financial Position
Open Table Inc. As at 30 June 2024
Acknowledgements
Volunteers with a load of surplus produce about to be turned into a delicious community feast
Volunteers
With heartfelt gratitude, we extend a huge thank you to every one of our incredible volunteers who tirelessly collect food donations, slice, dice, cook, serve, and clean—week after week—making our work possible. Your commitment, humor, grace, skill, and passion are the backbone of Open Table, enabling us to host large-scale events and feed hundreds with warmth and dignity. We also wish to thank our dedicated board members, who generously donate their time and expertise.
Together, you make our shared mission of community, sustainability, and food access a reality. We couldn’t do it without you!
Food Donors
• Foodbank Victoria
• OzHarvest
• Secondbite
• The Vegetable Connection
• Wild Things
• CERES Fair Food
• Rhubarb Rhubarb
• Coburg Market
• Orange & Lemons
• IGA Piedimontes in Pascoe Vale
• Dench Cafe & Bakery
• Vinnie’s Fruit and Flowers
• The Happy Apple
• Coburg Market
• Cobb Lane Bakery
Funders
• Pressroom Philanthropy
• Bolger Buys Foundation
• Price Family Foundation
• Community Bank Clifton Hill - North Fitzroy
• Inner North Community Foundation
• Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation, Youth In Philanthropy
• Perpetual
• Sisters of Charity Foundation
• Collier Charitable Fund
• Sustainability Victoria
• Vic Health
• City of Yarra
• William Angliss
• City of Melbourne
• Streetsmart
• Ethical Jobs
Program Partners and Collaborators
• Yarra Libraries (City of Yarra)
• Kathleen Syme Library and Community Centre (City of Melbourne)
• Yarra Community Capacity Building, DFFH
• Reynard Street Neighbourhood House
• Our Lady Help of Christians
• St Marks Church, Fawkner
• Catalyst Social Centre
• Food Not Bombs
• Uniting Asylum Seeker Centre
• St Mary’s House of Welcome
• Brunswick Uniting Church
• Our Daily Bread
• Carlton Neighbourhood Learning Centre
• Glenroy Neighbourhood House
• Brunswick Neighbourhood House
• RMIT
• Melbourne University
• Just Food Collective
• Uniting Vic
Volunteers Kate and Monica working together zesting limes
How To Help
How You Can Help
Volunteer your time
head to Volunteer — Open Table or email hello@open-table.org
Join our team of wonderful team of Volunteers to help out at our weekly community lunches and other community food programs and events.
Make a donation – every little bit counts.
Donations gratefully accepted via our website https://www.open-table.org/donate
