This Christmas, the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) donated essential items to the MCEC’s preferred charities, SecondBite and Hanover.
MCEC chief executive, Leigh Harry said “Both Hanover and Second Bite are worthwhile charities and I’m proud of our staff for their support this year.”
Volunteers from SecondBite collected six crates overflowing with healthy treats and basic food including flour, sugar, coffee, pasta and rice. Russell Shields, food program manager, said “These items will be going straight to community food programs that are preparing for the Christmas period. It is wonderful to have a regular SecondBite food donor such as the MCEC engage their staff in this form of Christmas giving.”
Zereh Gates from MCEC and Merewyn Smith from Hanover
SecondBite sources nutritious surplus fresh food and produce, that might otherwise go to waste, and facilitates distribution to agencies and people in need.
Hanover happily accepted four boxes filled with deodorant, shampoo and conditioner, soaps, toothbrushes, 2011 diaries, clocks and socks. Hanover’s director of stakeholder relations, Merewyn Smith said “On Christmas Day these donations will fill stockings for our clients who are in need of emergency assistance.”
Hanover provides services to people experiencing homelessness or housing crisis.
“As part of our commitment to corporate social responsibility the MCEC also donates over supplies from our kitchen to SecondBite, previous staff uniforms to Hanover and MCEC staff can make a weekly salary sacrifice throughout the year” Harry said.
