Charbel Yamouni has made it his life’s mission to find a home for surplus goods – from leftover food and milk to toiletries, furniture and clothes – at risk of being tossed in the bin, The Age reports.
About eight years ago, the Melbourne man founded Bright Sparqe, a not-for-profit online platform connecting organisations wanting to redistribute perishables to hundreds of Australian charities that support the homeless and people doing it tough.
“If an organisation is going to throw a product out, or good food is going to waste, I’d rather it goes to people who really need it,” Yamouni said. “It is all part of the circular economy. But most importantly, it reduces pollution and helps us reach sustainability targets.”
Bright Sparqe has evolved from a charity collecting and delivering thousands of loaves of freshly baked bread and rolls, to a free online public service that quickly overcomes logistical challenges posed by donating perishables at short notice.
It has even been dubbed the “Uber of charities” because it allows organisations to pick up goods from a donor the instant it is advertised on the platform.
In 2021, when the Port Phillip Community Group donated more than 7000 ham, cheese and caramelised onion toasties, Yamouni had a fleeting moment of panic: where could he redistribute three massive pallets of sandwiches while they were still fresh?
But within hours, five charities including the Salvation Army and Ronald McDonald House had picked up the toasties and were delivering them to people in need.
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Leftover logistics: The Melbourne man finding homes for surplus food (The Age)
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