Christmas Appeal: Community steps up for foodbank as donations top $36k

Foodbank manager Nicki Goodwin says food donations are down, but expects the community to rally in the coming weeks. Photo / Kaitlyn Morrell

More than $36,000 of food and funds have been donated to the Tauranga Community Foodbank two weeks into the Bay of Plenty Times Christmas Appeal.

That includes about $5600 of food, with the 1870 items gifted valued by the foodbank at an average of $3 apiece.

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After its second week, $30,746.10 in cash donations has brought the combined total of food donated and cash to $36,356.10.

“We are super-stoked with the Christmas Appeal so far,” Tauranga Community Foodbank general manager Nicki Goodwin said.

She told the Bay of Plenty Times the flow of donated grocery items had been a bit slower than in past years.

“I am sure that the community will rally and knock it out of the park.”

The appeal has raised $1.3 million and nearly $600,000 of groceries for the foodbank over 14 years − with demand also rising.

Donations during the appeal represent 30-60% of those the organisation receives annually, making it extremely important.

Goodwin said she had a team of “wonderful” volunteers ready to meet everyone who popped into the foodbank with donations.

The foodbank has more than 75 volunteers rostered each week and this number will grow to 100 in the lead-up to Christmas.

“On a practical level, what they [volunteers] see is the constant need to top up our fridges and freezers and shelves,” Goodwin said.

The foodbank has more than 75 volunteers rostered each week and this grows to 100 a week in the lead-up to Christmas. Photo / Kaitlyn Morrell

She said volunteers were working much harder as the foodbank went through more food and managed the incoming donations.

“It’s important that we do what we can.”

Businesses small, medium and large have also been stepping up to fill some plates.

From personal trainer Louise Watson, also known as Boss Lady, to Profiles Gym Greerton running their own collections; to big cash donations from Craigs Investment Partners and Cooney Lees Morgan.

Profiles manager Nicole Weck said doing what you could to help other people was “what life’s all about”.

Watson has been collecting for eight years.

She said donations had almost reached the 200 mark so far this year.

Key items on the foodbank’s wishlist this year are cereal, spreads, tinned fish, muesli bars, cocoa and icing sugar, coffee and drinking chocolate, deodorant and, of course, Christmas treats.

Other items are welcome as long as they are unopened, undamaged, and not expired − cash contributions, too, are appreciated.

Kaitlyn Morrell is a multimedia journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has lived in the region for several years and studied journalism at Massey University.