Lifezone church has collected a significant amount of food for the foodbank. Betty Brewerton care coupboard person
Lifezone church has collected a significant amount of food for the foodbank. Betty Brewerton care coupboard person
The Tauranga Foodbank has been given a welcome boost after hundreds of items were donated thanks to a local church. Lifezone Church collected more than 15 banana boxes full of food and Christmas gifts for the city's foodbank as part of the Bay of Plenty Times Christmas Appeal. Organiser Sheryl Todd saidshe was overwhelmed with the response. "I would say we filled 15 to 20 banana boxes full of things. We needed two vehicles to take it all to the foodbank." She said church goers were encouraged to donate items over the past three Sundays. "We also got some of the community groups who use our building to get involved," she said. "I am just really excited that everyone got behind it." She said the church took part in the Christmas Appeal because it fitted in with one of their mottos. "One of the mottos is to live with Jesus and share his love, this was just a really practical way of doing that." Mrs Todd said it was great to be able to pay it forward and to help those who might be struggling at Christmas. Foodbank chairman Mike Baker said about 150 food parcels were being issued a week. On Friday we issued 46 parcels and the numbers are increasing as the festive season bites, he said. Mr Baker said 8625 items had been donated to the foodbank during the appeal, with each item valued at $1.50. Cash donations of more than $29,900, including $7500 of Pak'nSave vouchers and an anonymous $5000 donation, have been dropped off at the foodbank and transferred into the appeal bank account. Donations for the foodbank can be made at any Westpac branch, Bay of Plenty Times office (Tauranga, Katikati or Te Puke) or at the foodbank on Dive Cres.
