Local Focus: A year's worth of food donations to be collected in three hours

With sirens sounding and engines revving, a fleet of emergency service vehicles snakes its way through the streets of Pāpāmoa every year.

More than 100 volunteers are collecting donated goods from driveways to pass onto the community through Pāpāmoa Family Services.

This year's event will be held on Tuesday and while the event lasts for just a few hours, its impact lasts much longer.

"The food that comes in from the annual food drive can last us almost the full year, until the next food drive," said Janice Belgrave, service manager at Pāpāmoa Family Services.

"Non-perishable is very important but it doesn't have to be cans of food," she said.

"Cans of food are wonderful but there's other types of non-perishable food and sometimes non-food items such as personal care items, toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, washing powder."

Pāpāmoa Family Services has been helping the community since 1993.

"We consistently have a waitlist for our services, which is a strong indicator that there's more need here in Pāpāmoa than what we're able to meet," said Belgrave.

"We're the only service providing this kind of support in the area.

"The need just continues to grow."

It was not just people without jobs who struggled to put food on the table. Belgrave said those working for minimum wage were also struggling.

"It's a very expensive place to live. A huge percentage of people are struggling to meet the amount of rent that is being charged."

Pāpāmoa Family Services co-ordinator Fareena Ali said it was difficult to witness people struggling every day.

"I have seen ladies come in in tears saying they need an extra bit of help and sometimes they're too shy to come in, but having this place here they're able to do that and then you see their gratitude," she said.

"I actually came in for counselling and watched what the ladies did and what they did for me and everyone else and I wanted to be a part of it and give back."

Community police officer Adrian Oldham said the event got busier each year.

"We're having to turn away volunteers. Fire brigade, police, search and rescue, fisheries, ambulance, they're all on board and we divvy everyone up into groups on the day. We've all got our own areas and it's just great fun," he said.

Volunteer Sarah Becker and her children donated their time to the event for the past three years.

"It's something I can do. We're all busy, we've got families and work but it's a couple of hours out of my life once a year that I can do something for someone else."

With Covid-19 creeping through the community, Oldham said organisers changed how donations were gathered and asked the public to bag or box items.

"We're encouraging people to leave food at their letterboxes or end of the drive so it's contactless."

Becker said those wishing to donate should have their items bagged and ready to go.

"When you hear those sirens around your neighbourhood, get your bag or box of goods and take it to your letterbox or end of the driveway because we want to make sure everyone stays safe.

While a global pandemic won't stop donations being collected, Oldham said emergency services had to be ready for anything.

Three years ago a fatal motor accident meant "the whole thing fell a bit flat because all the emergency services had taken off".

• The Pāpāmoa emergency services food run takes place on Tuesday November 30 from 6pm.