Christmas Appeal: Foodbank calls on locals to keep on giving as demand soars

"Please, don't stop giving."

The words of Tauranga Community Foodbank manager Nicki Goodwin come from a place of amazement at the generosity of locals, while knowing all too well how bad it is out there.

The Bay of Plenty Times annual Christmas Appeal, in partnership with Gilmours Wholesale Food and Beverage Tauriko, is now in its final week, having started on November 7.

In that time, 582 food parcels have been given out - about 116 every week, or an average of nearly 17 each day.

Thursday last week had been the busiest day so far, with 41 parcels issued.

The number of parcels was on par when compared with last year, but they also now have 25 per cent more food in them.

Parcels were previously designed to last three days, to get someone through to payday. The foodbank now provided a minimum of four days' worth of food, with more parcels lasting a week.

As of Friday, $66,531 had been made donated by individuals and businesses in the community and 21,182 food items had been donated.

A bare minimum $120,000 will be needed to help the Foodbank with the rising demand of people coming to them for help.

This is for food alone and excludes their operational costs.

"I really thought I couldn't be surprised anymore with this being my eighth Christmas with Foodbank, but I was wrong," says Goodwin.

"The generosity of people is gobsmacking."

This included people willing to volunteer their time to help sort the donations as well as their core volunteers "who work their butts off creating the food parcels".

But on the frontline, she sees the rising demand, and with it, new types of clients and scenarios.

"We are seeing quite a few clients who used our service many years ago, even as long as 10 years ago, who are now facing financial problems again."

People who are suffering the effects that Covid-19 has either had on their own business or job are now also needing support from Foodbank.

"It's really tough out there," Goodwin said.

Families the service have been helping with food were not able to buy anything special for their kids.

"This must be heartbreaking for parents when all we want is happy kids at Christmas."

However, thanks to the generosity of the community, these families would have special treats and food to celebrate with.

Goodwin said the generosity of donated funds and food was "incredible".

"People are really putting thought into what they are giving and it shows. This will in turn really make a difference to those that we help."

She had one message for the last week of the appeal: "Please, don't stop giving".

"There is a very long summer holiday after Christmas, and that is also a very tough time for families."

The food-in-school programmes "really take the sting out of the food budget", she said, but this was not available during holidays.

"We need to be here to help."