I dropped into the Tauranga Community Foodbank on Thursday to drop off food donated by Bay of Plenty Times staff, and to catch up with foodbank chief Mike Baker and his amazing team.
The Dive Cres foodbank was bursting with activity, with volunteers bustling, food, cans and boxes stacked everywhere, and people in need coming through the door.
Mike took me on another tour of the foodbank, showing me the stocks that had been amassed over the past six weeks.
Things were so busy I had to help out by lifting boxes of cans from a trolley parked in the hallway so it could be used before collecting donations from the public outside.
Outside, more cars were pulling up with generous people dropping off food items.
Mike and I agreed it had been a successful campaign that had surpassed our expectations.
Western Bay people have raised a total of $46,838.67 in this appeal - a result that just blows me away.
We valued each food item at $1. But the truth is that each item is worth more than that.
This food and money will go towards local people in the greatest need at a time when there is no excuse, in a region and country such as ours, that children should go hungry.
Thinking back six weeks ago, when we launched the appeal, I never thought we'd raise this much.
I knew Tauranga would be generous but I took a cautious approach. Times are tough for many people.
But I have no doubt that over the past few weeks there have been plenty of people who have donated who are really only just getting by themselves.
This appeal has been one of the most satisfying experiences of my media career. As a media organisation, our job is to keep people honest and tell the news - good or bad - and with that comes a certain responsibility and, of course, the need for a rather thick skin.
But we also have a parallel obligation, in my view, to use our influence to help make our community a better place, to help people less fortunate.
Earlier this year, the Bay of Plenty Times organised a Big Charity Auction which raised more than $5000 for the local Child Cancer Foundation.
My colleagues and I will go into Christmas and the New Year knowing we have worked with some wonderful people in this community to help make it a better place.
Yes, we've done our bit and I'd like to thank our team here who have worked on the appeal, but it's marvellous people such as Mike Baker, Bay of Plenty Times Person of the Year Pete Blackwell and Delwynne Hahunga from the Child Cancer Foundation who deserve the credit.
They are the ones who have consistently made a real difference.
The good news is there are thousands of good people like them in the Bay who either actively help others or donate to the likes of the foodbank appeal.
Thanks to everyone who has donated. Your generosity is appreciated.
