Celebrating the unsung heroes in the food relief community
The Coles Community Food Relief Champion Awards recognise the people who work tirelessly behind the scenes to help ensure others have access to food when they need it most.
From volunteers packing hampers and preparing meals, to drivers collecting food donations and coordinators supporting community programs, these champions make a lasting impact every day.
Five Champions were chosen from around Australia and received a cash prize of $5000 for themselves and $5000 for the charity or not-for-profit organisation they volunteer or work with.
Here we share the stories of the very worthy champions from each state:
Coles Community Food Relief Champion Awards Winners
VIC Champion
Dot Day, Sunbury
Dot has been named the inaugural Victorian Coles Community Food Relief Appeal Champion in recognition of her extraordinary contribution to Sunbury Neighbourhood Kitchen.
Since joining the volunteer-run organisation shortly after it opened in 2013, Dot has become a cornerstone of its food relief service, dedicating more than 13 years to preparing meals, packing grocery bags, serving community dinners and helping ensure people experiencing hardship have access to nutritious food.
Known for her warmth, generosity and tireless work ethic, Dot continues to volunteer regularly at 87 years young, inspiring fellow volunteers with her energy and commitment.
Her dedication extends beyond the kitchen, having also supported a range of local initiatives including Drive 120, ambulance fundraising efforts and Probus. Through her longstanding service, Dot has helped create a welcoming and supportive environment while making a lasting impact on countless people across the Sunbury community.
“I’ve volunteered for as long as I can remember. I’ve always believed that when you volunteer, you get back what you put in, and you certainly do. Everybody helps everybody else, and I can’t praise these volunteers enough.
I don’t think this award has really sunk in yet because it all happened so fast, and I guess the most important thing for me is feeding the people. But it’s certainly an honour, a big, big honour, and something I never would have expected.”
Dot, VIC Champion
NSW Champion
Monica Chehab, Surry Hills
Monica has been named the New South Wales Coles Community Food Relief Appeal Champion in recognition of her extraordinary contribution to Sydney City Salvos’ community food program.
As Kitchen Supervisor, Monica leads meal preparation, coordinates volunteers and ensures people experiencing hardship have access to a nutritious meal in a welcoming environment.
Drawing on her Lebanese heritage and lifelong passion for cooking, Monica views food as a powerful way to bring people together. Each week, she helps plan, prepare and serve over 350 meals for locals in need, using SecondBite produce rescued from three local Coles stores.
Known for her warmth, generosity and unwavering commitment, Monica’s impact extends far beyond the kitchen. Many community members describe her as “like a mother”, remembering names, checking in on people and creating a sense of belonging through every meal served.
Through her leadership and compassion, Monica has helped build a community where people feel supported, valued and connected.
“I love cooking and looking after people. When I see the community eating and smiling, I feel very happy because I cook from the heart.
I learnt from my mother and [other] people in the kitchen. Everyone is so beautiful and always helping.
Thank you SecondBite, for bringing the food every day. When I see everything, I decide what to cook the next day. I create something I like to cook and I feel happy seeing people eating good food.”
Monica, NSW Champion
WA Champion
Alanagh Godderidge, Sorrento
Alanagh has been named the Western Australian Coles Community Food Relief Appeal Champion in recognition of her leadership and commitment to supporting people experiencing food insecurity through Moving Food.
A founder of the Sorrento-based initiative and a staff member with Cycling Without Age Sorrento, Alanagh helped establish the program during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure isolated seniors could continue accessing groceries and essential support.
Since then, Moving Food has grown into a vital community service connecting surplus food with local families, seniors, refugees and school communities across Perth’s northern suburbs.
Alanagh works closely with food recovery organisations, hospitality businesses and volunteers to coordinate food hampers and ensure support reaches those who need it most.
Passionate about building stronger local connections, Alanagh has helped create a community where food brings people together.
Through her leadership, Moving Food has grown from a small volunteer-led initiative into a trusted network of local businesses, volunteers and community organisations working together to support families, seniors, refugees and school communities across Perth’s northern suburbs.
“It still surprises me sometimes how much it’s grown. When we started Moving Food at the beginning of COVID-19, we were really just trying to help a few older locals who were isolated in their homes.
These days, there are so many more people involved, and it’s been lovely seeing locals come together to support people in our community and further afield.
It’s a good reminder of what a community can do when people are willing to pitch in and help.”
Alanagh, WA Champion
QLD Champion
Robert Mearns, Rochedale South
Robert, known as “Bobby”, has been named Queensland’s Coles Community Food Relief Appeal Champion in recognition of more than two decades spent supporting people experiencing hardship through Brisbane charity Fishers of Men.
As co-founder of the organisation, Bobby has helped grow Fishers of Men from a small grassroots effort feeding around 100 people into a major community service that now delivers approximately 1000 meals a week, alongside food parcels, clothing and practical support for people doing it tough.
Bobby continues to volunteer on the frontline every week, leading outreach teams across Brisbane and helping deliver food and practical assistance to those who need it most.
Known for his compassion and dedication, Bobby has become a trusted source of support for countless people across the city. Through his tireless commitment to others, Bobby has helped create a culture of compassion and inclusion that continues to make a lasting impact across Brisbane.
“Someone once gave me a meal when I needed it, and it changed the course of my life. A meal might seem like a small thing, but I’ve seen what can happen when someone realises there are people who genuinely care.
I’ve seen people who were sleeping rough go on to rebuild their lives, and some of them end up coming back to help others. People come for the food, stay for the conversation, and before long they’re part of the community. That’s the bit I love.”
Robert, QLD Champion
SA Champion
Eman Rahim, Wingfield
Eman has been recognised as South Australia’s Coles Community Food Relief Appeal Champion for her extraordinary contribution to food relief as Founder and CEO of Heart & Soul Group.
Eman has built one of South Australia’s largest food relief organisations, supporting more than 4,000 people every week.
Eman’s journey began during a period of personal hardship when she struggled to put food on the table for her own family. That experience inspired her to take action, founding Heart & Soul Group on the belief that no good food should go to landfill while people are going hungry.
What started with Eman making sandwiches for those in need has grown into a statewide operation with two food relief centres, a home delivery service and a dedicated volunteer network.
Through her leadership, thousands of South Australians can access affordable food and practical support with dignity, choice and compassion.
“Most people are only two pay slips away from being that person needing help.
When I started Heart & Soul Group, I never imagined it would grow to support more than 4,000 people a week. But demand keeps climbing, and we’re now seeing working families, people with mortgages, and so many turning to food relief for the very first time.
I know what it feels like to need help, and that’s why dignity and compassion sit at the heart of everything we do.
No one should have to choose between paying a bill and putting food on the table.”
Eman, SA Champion
Coles Community Food Relief Champion Awards Runners Up
QLD
Suki O’Dea from North Brisbane has been named the Queensland runner-up for her contribution to community food relief through Nexus Care.
David Beil from Doomadgee has been recognised as a Queensland runner-up for his work coordinating the School Nutrition Centre at Doomadgee State School.
VIC
Anthony Ashman from Sunshine has been recognised as a Victoria’s runner-up for his nearly six years of dedicated service at Duke Street Community House’s weekly food relief market.
Greg Clark from Kew has been recognised as Victoria’s runner-up for his dedication to supporting people experiencing hardship through his volunteering with local food relief services.
NSW
Elaine Hart from Mullumbimby has been recognised for her outstanding contribution to the Mullumbimby & District Neighbourhood Centre.
Linda Jane Strickland from South Windsor has been recognised for her outstanding contribution to Hawkesbury’s Helping Hands.
Faisal Bin Sazed from Narellan has been recognised for his outstanding contribution to Big Yellow Umbrella.
WA
Raymond White from Chadwick has been recognised for his 12 years of dedicated volunteer service with Esperance Community Services.
Leandri Cronje from Greenfields has been recognised for her contribution to supporting families experiencing food insecurity across Mandurah and the Peel region through her work with Bridge Builders.
SA
Bronte Larking from Port Lincoln has been recognised for her 15 years of dedicated volunteering at Community House Port Lincoln.
NT
Sam Jackson from Palmerston has been recognised for his leadership in developing innovative approaches to improving food security and financial wellbeing across the Northern Territory as Financial Inclusion Coordinator at CatholicCare NT.