Under the Stars had their busiest day on May 9 with 300 meals distributed. Overall, they distributed 1486 meals in alert level 4 lockdown, 1106 meals in level 3 and 1382 in level 2.
Under the Stars operations manager Laura Wood (left) and Sue Richards. Photo / George Novak
This combined with around 8000 meals from other providers Huria Marae - He Rourou Aroha, Kai Aroha and Curate Church Mount Maunganui over the same period - added up to around 1000 meals a week.
People would likely start to feel the "sting" as more incomes dried up over the next few weeks and they were anticipating numbers to rise at their dinner services, she said.
The team were also seeking out families with "food insecurities" in the Welcome Bay and Merivale communities to deliver weekly frozen meals to in the aftermath of Covid-19, she said.
"It's going to be a complete guessing game at what the city will look like the other end of this."
Owner of Happy Puku, Stephen Wilson, said he believed the community was sitting in the "eye of the storm" and expected things to get worse.
"Unemployment and financial difficulties mean people can't feed their families and it is going to get worse before it gets better."
Wilson was cooking meals and distributing food parcels to families seven days a week. This was more than Happy Puku had done before, but the demand meant it was a must.
His team was pumping out more than 400 meals a week and their bank balance was almost at zero.
The team at Tauranga Foodbank are bracing for the rise in public need. Photo / File
"People need support so we are doing what we can ... but we need community support too."
When the Bay of Plenty Times called, Wilson was whipping up hundreds of shepherds' pies, which were funded by the Changepoint Church community.
He said any little thing the community could do to help was welcomed.
Nicki Goodwin, manager of Tauranga Foodbank, echoed the idea that things were only going to get worse for the community.
"The wage subsidy is running out now, more jobs are going to be lost and we are bracing for a huge increase in demand.
"It's a sad thing to have to do, but we are preparing for the long term."
The foodbank had experienced "unprecedented demand" over lockdown and in level 3, feeding hundreds of people a week.
Good Neighbour, a local food rescue organisation, has distributed between two to four tonnes of food a day to Tauranga food charities.
"We are distributing more than we ever have before," general manager Simone Gibson said.
Happy Puku members Kelly Tai (left), Remy Zibung, Stephen Wilson and Janine Cork. Photo / File
Two tonnes of food was coming from supermarkets, with another 1.5 tonnes or so of pork coming from a government action plan where 2000 pigs a week were bought and distributed to help feed those in need.
"There are so many newly vulnerable people out there who are reaching the end of their finances and need support now," she said.
Earlier this week it was announced that Countdown supermarkets' Food for Good Foundation had donated $40,000 to Good Neighbour to continue their work with local charities.
Gibson said this would help them continue their food rescues and provide equipment such as chilled bulk storage and a forklift.
