Of the 19,604 people who have been helped by the foodbank this year, more than half were children.
This is not only tragic. It is unacceptable.
How can we as a city, and as a community, allow this to continue?
The reality is so many people are needing help in this inflation-increasing, Covid-weary, woeful-wages world.
Foodbank manager Nicki Goodwin says the service is now getting people from all walks of life seeking help; those on benefits trying to feed their families, those working fulltime but just needing help to get by. Even those who were helped a decade ago are returning for the first time since.
It seems this year's cost of living crisis has affected us all in one way or another. Yet it's hungry children who appear to be bearing the brunt of it, through no fault of their own.
This is heartbreaking. But it doesn't need to be.
I believe we have the power to change this bleak reality. And it doesn't have to be through unobtainable grand gestures or unaffordable dramatic donations.
Often, I believe, it's the little things that can make the difference.
Whether that's through what one might consider an excess of lemons on the fruit tree, an extra bag of pasta they got on special weeks ago, or perhaps that canned soup sitting at the back of the pantry - every little bit counts.
Every little bit makes a real difference.
It's up to each and every one of us to help make that difference.
During last year's six-week appeal, $163,082 was donated - $112,000 in cash, $24,695 in food donations and $1350 in supermarket gift cards.
Let's aim to match that total - or even beat it this year.
So that's my challenge to you, dear reader.
Please spare what you can afford to and together, collectively, we make a difference to people who need it.
Māori have a whakatauki echoing what can be achieved if people pull together for a common cause: Naku te rouroru nau te rourou ka ora ai te iwi. With your basket and my basket the people will live.
No child in this city should have to go hungry.
Let's be that village.
