Congratulations to COA, one of  two Innovation Award winners for 2021, for the COA Fresh initiative.

‘COA Fresh’ went from an idea to action within 2 weeks of the first lockdown in 2020, when COVID lockdowns saw frail aged people unable and unwilling to attend shopping centres. After an initial generous donation from Harris Farm Markets, others donated as well.  Patrick's of Bellevue Hill, Oz Harvest, Good 360, and cash donations for COA staff to purchase goods from markets, allowed them to quickly start delivering a FREE bag of basic fruit and vegetables plus other household items such as toothbrushes, disinfectants, toilet paper, hand sanitizer and soap.  The initiative was so successful, that more volunteers were soon needed, so community organisations and synagogues put the word out for them, and they very quickly got the volunteers required. Older volunteers are engaged in packing bags and boxes to be delivered out, and younger volunteers do the deliveries. A new volunteer coordinator was engaged to manage the sheer quantity of volunteers and deliveries going out each week.

Click here to watch the COA Fresh Video