Christmas appeal: Foodbank volunteer returning the favour

Volunteer Kay Pound loves working at the Tauranga Community Foodbank. Photo/John Borren

Tauranga Community Foodbank volunteer Kay Pound is thankful she can help others the way she has been helped in the past.

Mrs Pound is a new volunteer to the foodbank, beginning about a month ago. She no longer had any dependants at home, so decided now was the time to volunteer.

"And I've been on the receiving end in the past for various things, so it's just wonderful to be able to pass on some of the help I've received."

She wanted to do something to give back to the community and had heard of the foodbank through her church, which was a regular donor.

One day, she was visiting the Waipuna Hospice's drop-off point on Brook St, which is in a unit opposite the foodbank, so she decided to check it out.

"That was it for me, finding out where the place was and the opportunity to help.

"I just love it. It's something that is totally giving without any strings attached."

Mrs Pound loves the atmosphere at the foodbank and enjoys working with her fellow volunteers.

"They are awesome people to work with."

She admired the way the organisation worked. It had quick and efficient systems in place to get parcels to the clients, and made sure food was kept fresh and in the best condition it could be, she said.

One thing that amazed Mrs Pound was how thoughtful people in the community were.

She mentioned an incident last week when an older woman came into the foodbank with a supermarket club card she had been saving money on all year.

"She had $200 on the card and wanted to give it to the foodbank. She came asking us how she could spend it usefully.

"There's another lady that created Christmas packages for people. She saves during the year and buys things on sale, then spends time with family members putting it all together.

"The thought that goes into that, and the love for people is awesome."

Mrs Pound said the people receiving parcels were "so grateful".

"To see the smile on someone's face after they receive a package, to say 'is that all for me?' When you've got nothing, it just means so much."