The night will include a range of activities, food stalls, and entertainment as well as the movie screening on a 40sq m LED screen.
The Hits Bay of Plenty host Lauren Mabbett was excited about the event and hoped to more than double last year’s donations.
She said it was “all about giving back”.
“Christmas is always an incredibly hard time for families ... Many families struggle to put food on the table during a time when we should be cheerful and able to enjoy the festivities.”
They were “blown away by the incredible community support” last year with nearly 400 donations, and had set their sights on 1000 donated food items this year.
“We encourage everyone to dig deep, search their cupboards, and start collecting non-perishable food items to bring along on the day,” she said.
“The Hits is proud to support local events and be an integral part of the vibrant Bay of Plenty community.”
She said the station appreciated opportunities to connect with local listeners and celebrate local spirit.
She said the event was created to not only drive donations but also give the city a “festival of fun” and take the essence of an outdoor cinema to “a whole other level”.
Foodbank manager Nicki Goodwin said she was “so excited” to hear that The Hits was raising awareness and food through The Hits Christmas in the Park.
“Creating an event that gives our community something to do, along with supporting Foodbank is just awesome.”
She said The Hits had a wide-reaching audience and 1000 food items was “a great goal”. She hoped for fine weather and that everyone involved would have a good time.
“This will certainly help fill up some of the empty shelving.”
This year, the foodbank has had record demand, helping 22,298 people from 8213 households, which included 11,797 children, which is 28 per cent more than last year.
The foodbank was also spending an average of just over $20,000 per month on staple foods compared to about $14,800 the year before.
Last year’s appeal resulted in $256,471 being donated - $167,758.84 in cash and $88,712 in food donations, with each item valued at $2.50. It was the highest total raised in the appeal’s history. The second-highest was $254,416 donated in 2020.
The foodbank also revealed its wishlist, which included essentials like cereal, canned fruit, muesli bars, nappies in sizes four to six, and creamed corn.
Treats were also very welcome - these could be anything from shampoo and conditioner to toothpaste, body wash, Milo, coffee, tea, biscuits and other goods.
Tauranga Community Foodbank wishlist 2023
- Treats
- Cereal
- Spreads
- Nappies: Size four, five, six
- Drinking chocolate and coffee
- Muesli bars
- Canned fruit
- Tinned fish
Any items are welcome, even if they’re not on the list.
