Leading Tasmanian health and wellness organisation St Lukes is joining forces with OzHarvest this Christmas, with senior executives helping create nutritious meals for Tasmanians in need, deepening the not-for-profit’s connection to the community.
The first Tasmanian organisation to participate in OzHarvest’s ‘Cooking for a Cause’ initiative, 10 St Lukes executives and senior leaders have donned their aprons to turn rescued ingredients into delicious meals under the guidance of OzHarvest Executive Chef Damir Mujanic.
The St Lukes team then boxed and loaded up the meals for delivery to Launceston charities.
CEO Paul Lupo said the initiative tapped into Tasmania’s strong sense of community connection – a cause St Lukes was proud to champion.
“Tasmanians help each other out, and St Lukes has been supporting Tasmanians for more than 70 years. We know that wellbeing isn’t just about hospitals and clinics, but feeling supported, seen and cared for,” Mr Lupo said.
“Providing a quality meal helps lightens the load for the Tasmanians who may be feeling stressed about putting food on the table right now – a stress Christmas can heighten.
“It’s a busy time of year for everyone, but we believe taking time out to reflect and support the community is so important.
“The connection this creates is fundamental to our physical and mental health and is a key part of our vision to make Tasmania the healthiest island on the planet.”
OzHarvest Executive Chef Damir Mujanic said Cooking for a Cause combines OzHarvest’s mission to reduce food waste and support members of our community who are doing it tough.
"With 33 per cent of Tasmanian households [around 81,000] experiencing food insecurity in the past year[1] the need has never been greater,” he said.
“Almost a quarter of households’ food insecurity is classed as ‘severe’, meaning they regularly skip meals due to cost.
“Thanks to the incredible support of St Lukes, these beautiful, nourishing meals will be delivered free of charge to some of our 35 local charities in our community.”
The cause builds on St Lukes’ other Christmas programs aimed at strengthening community connection, including giving trees and craft workshops at the Hobart and Launceston wellness hubs.
[1] Foodbank Hunger Report 2025