Christmas Appeal: Toi Ohomai barista students back with Cans for Coffee

Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology barista students are getting into the spirit of giving this Christmas, swapping coffees for cans of food to help the Rotorua Salvation Army Foodbank.

Monday’s fundraiser at the tertiary institute’s Mokoia campus is part of the Rotorua Daily Post’s annual six-week Christmas Appeal, supported by The Hits Rotorua 97.5FM.

The appeal, which launched on Saturday, aims to collect donations of food and money to help the foodbank continue its work through the busy holiday period and into 2025.

Toi Ohomai academic staff member Vanessa Dunn said the annual cans-for-coffee exchange gave baristas-in-training great hands-on experience.

“[It] not only supports the barista ākonga [students], but also gives back to our community at a time of year that can be challenging for many people.

“Things are pretty tough for people at the moment. We just want to generate as many cans as possible.

“At the end of the day, it all helps,” Dunn said.

Dunn said the coffee-for-a-can (alternative milks included) event had been a popular tradition since it started in 2017.

“It is an easy way for people to get their coffee fix while also supporting the Salvation Army.”

Seeing kaimahi (staff) and ākonga come together for a good cause was a highlight.

“We appreciate everyone’s support for our students and look forward to a busy coffee service on Monday.”

Rotorua Salvation Army community ministries manager Darnielle Hoods said referrals of people for the organisation’s community services had doubled in a year.

“We have noticed that there are more people coming in at this time than we have had before for kai,” Hoods said.

“It is a very big need at the moment.”

The foodbank had moved away from giving out prepared food parcels to a more empowering model of allowing whānau to choose their groceries from its supermarket, Te Kai Mākona.

• Donated cans of food can be brought to The Lab, in C Block at the Toi Ohomai Mokoia Campus. The two sessions on Monday will run from 9.45-10.45am and 11.30-12.30pm.

Aleyna Martinez is a multimedia journalist based in the Bay of Plenty. She moved to the region in 2024 and has previously reported in Wairarapa and at Pacific Media Network.