Hastings Foodbank gets grant from Hawke's Bay Foundation

Hastings Foodbank Trust trustee Lyn Gage stocks the shelves at the Hastings Foodbank. Photo / Duncan Brown

The Hastings Foodbank has been assured of continued operation, after receiving a funding boost from Hawke's Bay Foundation.

As part of its role in helping community organisations, the community foundation awarded the Hastings Foodbank Trust $3120.

Trust chairman Trevor Percy said the grant would help pay the rent for the foodbank's storage facility.

"We buy food in bulk from local supermarkets and we hire a secure facility to store the bulk food and transfer that to the foodbank if and when required.

"We would make three to four purchases a year of non-perishable food, and on top of that we make other purchases from time to time as well."

Mr Percy said demand for the foodbank was pretty steady year round.

"We probably feed between 4000 and 5000 people a year, providing food parcels with two to three days of food."

The trust also worked with budgeting advice services, with most of its clients referred from local churches and social services. People could also be self-referred.

"We interview everyone that comes in just to assess their need, and then we grant the food parcels."

Mr Percy said the foodbank had been operating as a charitable trust since 2004, and was still very much needed.

"There are a number of other foodbanks around but we are the only community one that's open five days a week."

The foodbank operates out of the Hastings Budget Advisory Service rooms on Warren St. Each emergency food parcel consists of pre-cooked and shelf-stable, easy-cook staple food items.

Hawke's Bay Foundation is a registered charitable trust which receives donations and bequests on behalf of the Hawke's Bay community. These are then safeguarded and grown, constantly earning and giving out forever.

Donors can be very specific as to what group or area is to receive their funds or they can rely on foundation trustees to administer the donation. Contributions to the Hawke's Bay Foundation can be made during an individual's lifetime, or through an individual's will, as a lasting legacy.