Influx of donations for Tauranga Community Foodbank

Tauranga Community Foodbank manager Nicki Goodwin is ecstatic at some of the donations which have come in. Photo / File

When Tauranga Community Foodbank manager Nicki Goodwin opened the charity's bank accounts yesterday morning, she could not believe her eyes.

As of 10.30am, the foodbank had received $76,668.35 in donations to help them provide for Tauranga's needy this Christmas.

Goodwin said there had been some significant large donations that boosted the tally over the past two days, as well as lots of little donations that really helped.

The larger donations include $5000 from Maurice Cowling at Tauranga ITM, $2000 from St Lukes Church, another $5000 from a local business that wanted to remain anonymous, $4850 from Tremains Realty, and $2000 from a local couple, who also asked for anonymity.

The financial influx comes just days after the foodbank received its largest single donation this year from the Port of Tauranga, which gifted $10,000 to the cause.

"The foodbank is just buzzing today, there is a constant stream of people bringing in donations both food and cash, plus we have already approved 33 parcels by 11.30am," Goodwin said.

One company explained to Goodwin they stopped giving corporate gifts to their clients and donated the money to the foodbank instead.

"They chose foodbank because a lot of their staff were casual and may well need our help at times," she said.

"We are just so grateful because it will all get used."