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Cooking Connections

Cooking Connections is a meal sharing program that introduces people who like to cook and connect with others to older isolated diners in our community. Volunteer cooks deliver a serving of their regular home-cooked meal and enjoy a short chat with their diner.

A woman smiling and holding a casserole dish passing it to an older woman in a doorway.

Volunteer for Cooking Connections

How it works

Volunteer cooks prepare and deliver a regular meal to a local diner. We match cooks and diners who share something in common, whether that's interests, food preferences or location.

The program involves:

1. Cooking your usual meal

2. Plating up an extra serve

3. Delivering the extra serve to an older resident and taking the time to have a short chat

As you get to know each other, you may even like to take your meal along as well and share it with the diner at their home.

The program relies on volunteer cooks committing to deliver meals to the same diner on a regular basis – which could be weekly, fortnightly or monthly. However, cooks can certainly take breaks - we just ask that you let your diner know in advance.

Requirements

Before commencing with the program, volunteer cooks must complete:

· A food safety and hygiene learning program and quiz (please allow 30 to 60 minutes to complete)

· A Police Check (Bayside Council will assist you with this and cover all costs)

· A Working with Children Check (this requirement is mandatory for all Bayside Council registered volunteers)

· Sign a Volunteer Agreement

· Provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination (doses 1 and 2).

The Program Coordinator will contact you to help you through the registration process and discuss suitable diners located in your area.

How to become a Volunteer Cook

To join as a volunteer cook:

1. Register as a Bayside volunteer

2. Complete the online training and pass the Do Food Safely quiz. Please keep a copy of the certificate to forward this to the Project Support Officer at cooking@bayside.vic.gov.au

More information

For more information about the program, you can contact our Social Inclusion Officer by emailing cooking@bayside.vic.gov.au or calling us on 9599 4444.