Northland families seeking food parcels nearly double

Demand for food parcels in Whangārei is going through the roof and the Salvation Army is bracing for the busiest winter ever with nearly twice as many people seeking help so far this year than the whole of 2017.

Northlanders escaping higher living costs in bigger cities and heading back home are adding to a growing demand for food items, apart from help with other major expenses such as power, petrol and GP visits.

Countdown and the Salvation Army have teamed up for their annual Food Rescue Winter Appeal to help stock the latter's foodbanks and have asked Northlanders to donate generously for the cause.

Whangārei Salvation Army's community ministries team leader, Marlene Bowers, said more than 1000 food parcels have been given to needy families from the start of January until Thursday.That excluded those handed out during community outreach visits.

"We expect demand this winter to increase based around housing needs. Fifty per cent of clients coming through are new and a lot of people are coming back from Auckland hoping the cost of living here is cheaper."

Bowers said 673 food parcels were given in the first quarter of this year. More than 500 food parcels were given last year which was up 19 per cent on 2016, she said.

The winter appeal started on Thursday and will run until June 17.

People can donate food in any Countdown store through the designated purple food rescue bins, a winter food bundle online on the Foodbank Project, or donate money in-store at the checkout.

Donated items are then distributed through the Salvation Army's community hubs across the country.

More than 30,000 families in New Zealand will need food and other relief from the Salvation Army this winter.

The appeal is set up specifically to help New Zealanders struggling to make ends meet during the cold months, when budgets are often stretched with doctor's visits and higher power bills.

The Salvation Army's national secretary for social services, Major Pamela Waugh, said people across the country were struggling with housing, the onset of winter and the cost of living among many other things.

"It's great to see everyone come together and donate – all donations, no matter how large or small, mean so much to these families and help to make winter a little more bearable," Waugh said.

The most needed items this winter are fresh and frozen meat, root vegetables and frozen vegetables, tinned goods such as spaghetti, soup and tinned fish, dairy products and hygiene items.

As part of this year's appeal, the Foodbank Project will host a new winter bundle which can be donated.

The bundle is made up of a selection of most needed items, including fresh food like a frozen chicken, potatoes and cheese, spaghetti and hygiene items such as washing powder.

The winter appeal is part of Countdown's ongoing Food Rescue programme which donates about $3.7 million in food each year to food rescue partners, including the Salvation Army, and a further $2.1m of food scraps to farmers for their animals.