Chefs from some of Perth’s biggest venues have come together to produce more than 20,000 packaged meals for people in need across WA.

Optus Stadium, RAC Arena, HBF Stadium and VenuesWest’s kitchen teams will supply the food packages, worth $55000, to aid organisations such as the Salvation Army and Church of the Way.

WA Sport and Recreation minister Mick Murray says the initiative helps create jobs while helping those in need.

“It is important as we enter the recovery phase of COVID-19, that we continue to think of innovative ways to create and maintain jobs, as well as help those in the community, who are most vulnerable,” Mr Murray says.

“Charities continue to do critical work in our community, so if you have surplus food please consider donating to such charities as OzHarvest and The Salvation Army.”

The food will be distributed by OzHarvest WA over the coming weeks d across the state.

Salvation Army Albany spokesperson Bethan Dunbar says people look for assistance all year round… [including] homeless people, people who work and people who don’t work.

“Everybody has the ability to access them, we are giving them out in our every day, welfare needs,” she says.

“As somebody comes in we give them a food hamper and we include those meals in the food hampers.”

The food options include roast beef and gravy with olive oil mash potatoes and vegetables, chicken in a tomato, basil and mushroom sauce with mash potato and vegetables and vegetarian fried rice with broccoli and egg.

Ms Dunbar says the meals make a great difference to those in need and that the Salvation Army tries to give out as many as possible.

“They make an appointment with us and we run through an interview with them and find out there needs and assistance that best suits their circumstances,” she said.

Donations to the Salvation Army, OzHarvest or Church of the Way can be made online or instore.