Nicki Goodwin and foodbank volunteers getting ready and asking for donations as part of their Christmas Appeal Launch.
Children make up more than half of the people Tauranga Community Foodbank has helped this year, as demand spiked 28 per cent amid a "skyrocketing'' cost of living crisis.
As of October 31, just over 19,600 people from 6623 city households sought help from the foodbank - an increase of about 4000 compared to the year before.
Of the 19,603 clients, 10,342 were children.
The figures have been released as the Bay of Plenty Times today launches its annual Christmas appeal to raise money for the foodbank. The appeal will run until December 23.
Last year's six-week appeal saw $163,082 donated - $112,000 in cash, $24,695 in food donations and $1350 in supermarket gift cards. It was the second-highest amount raised in the appeal's 12-year history. In 2020, $190,990 was donated.
Compared with October last year, grocery food prices were up 9.7 per cent.
Meat, poultry, and fish prices increased 10 per cent, and non-alcoholic beverage prices surged by 8.7 per cent.
Trade Me rental figures show the median rent in Tauranga jumped from $595 in September last year to $630 this year.
Foodbank manager Nicki Goodwin said some people needing foodbank support were "stressed and unsure", and some clients were now returning after a break of 10 years or longer.
People were struggling to buy groceries because food costs had "skyrocketed" and incomes had not grown to match rising prices, she said.
In previous appeals, individual food items had been priced at $2 each, but soaring costs have meant each item will this year be valued at $2.50.
"People have had a really long period of stability, and now they are back needing our support again. It tells me there is a lot of uncertainty and people's situations are very fragile. They are needing support purely because their costs have gone up," Goodwin said.
"It makes me cautious going forward. People who have been stable are finding difficulties – and that is a big red flag."
Each week, about 60 volunteers showed up to the foodbank to help out, caring for residents from Pāpāmoa East to Pahoia.
Foodbank volunteers hard at work. Photo / Mead Norton
The volume in each food parcel had increased compared with previous years so that clients had enough food to last them an entire week, she said.
In general, she was "not feeling very optimistic" and anticipated "some very tough times ahead".
"All the situations we are facing at the moment are not an easy fix. Hopefully, it won't last for too long, but I just don't see how it's going to change in the short term. We are preparing for that and will meet it head-on," she said.
"We thought once Covid was ticked off the list, we could take a deep breath and go back to normal. What we are seeing is a whole new set of challenges, and that is worrying."
She spoke of one Tauranga family who received ongoing foodbank support, and were left with $30 each week to feed a family of five.
"That is their food budget. That's where we can help - because otherwise, there would be no food."
Asked about her message to those considering donating to the appeal, Goodwin said: "Don't think anything is too little."
"It all goes to good use. Thinking of others this time of year is a good place to start, and food makes such a difference to how people feel.
"We see that sense of relief every day when people put their groceries in their car."
She understood that people had "less resources to give" right now, and all donations - no matter how big or small - would be gratefully received.
Meanwhile, the support service Here to Help U was seeing "high need" in Tauranga, with the impacts of the cost of living crisis affecting "many people and whānau".
The free service, manned by two staff, was established by the Wise Group in June last year.
Here to Help U said many people it spoke to were "stressed and anxious", with more families on multiple incomes seeking out support due to "skyrocketing living costs".
"You can hear the desperation in their voice[s] for both financial and kai support."
The service said that after bills were paid, some families could not afford food.
"Some are faced with the ultimatum: do we pay our power bill this week or do we buy kai? Some whānau have shared with us that they have to wait until they have received their food parcel before they can send their tamariki back to school."
Felicity Beadle, of Wise Group, told the Bay of Plenty Times the foodbank was Here to Help U's main provider, with most referrals going through to it.
Beadle said the service averaged 55 cases per month last year, but this year it had nearly quadrupled due to a significant spike in March during the Omicron outbreak.
"Numbers have remained high after the Omicron peak, with cases averaging 202 per month."
Bay Financial Mentors general manager Shirley McCombe said demand for its budgeting services was so high that it planned to open another three clinics next year.
"People are struggling. Even those in full-time employment are finding it hard to make ends meet right now."
Bay Financial Mentors general manager Shirley McCombe. Photo / Supplied
McCombe said Christmas was always a "tough time" for people financially, and she anticipated this year would be even harder.
The service - formerly Tauranga Budget Advisory Service - often referred clients to the foodbank to "free up money" for other essentials, including rent, electricity, and debt.
Client debt had risen from $61.8 million ($61,839,436) last year to $72.8m ($72,799,664) in 2022. This included debt to Work and Income, which jumped from $3m to $5m.
Of the service's clients, 68 per cent were employed full-time, while the other 32 per cent were receiving benefits.
Ministry of Social Development Bay of Plenty regional commissioner Mike Bryant said the ministry continued to see "ongoing demand for food support from some sections of the community".
Quarterly data for September 2022 showed hardship assistance for food had dropped over a five-year period. A total of 6747 grants were distributed to Bay of Plenty residents in the year to September 2017, down to 4818 by September 2022.
Social agency umbrella group SociaLink carries out research and advocates for those working in the sector.
SociaLink general manager Liz Davies said the cost of living was having a major impact on people's ability to cover basic expenses such as housing and food.
Western Bay of Plenty social agencies working to help those in need were experiencing high demand but had limited ability to meet the need, she said.
Merivale Community Centre, a referral partner, had referred around 19 people to the foodbank over the past month.
Findings from a New Zealand Food Network survey released this week showed the top three reasons for requesting food support were low household income due to low-paying jobs (79 per cent), unemployment (70 per cent), and Covid-19 isolation (60 per cent). 43 New Zealand food charities were surveyed about their experience with food support between January and June 2022.
Results also suggested that the pandemic was having a serious impact on some of society's more vulnerable - including senior citizens, people living with a disability, sickness or injury, and those who had lost employment due to Covid-19.
The survey asked the food charities, which supported more than half a million people each month, to rate their ability to meet current levels of demand on a scale of one (poor) to five (excellent). The rating was 3.6.
Bay of Plenty Times editor Scott Inglis said Christmas was an important time to help people in need – particularly this year, as food prices were soaring.
"So many people are struggling right now, and it's crucial those who can donate to the appeal this Christmas. Every little bit helps."
'Our focus always goes back to people'
Tauranga Community Foodbank manager Nicki Goodwin has been in the role for 10 years. Photo / Mead Norton
Heading into her 10th Christmas managing Tauranga Community Foodbank, Nicki Goodwin said it was the "challenge of constant change" that kept her in the role.
It had always been the foodbank team's goal to provide groceries to people, but how they went about doing this had changed over the years, Goodwin said.
While the change "keeps you on your toes", Goodwin said it was crucial to take a step back and think about different ways of meeting changing needs.
She was also in constant awe of those people who volunteered their time every week, "asking for nothing in return".
"The volunteers are just a daily highlight for me. I see the teamwork, I hear how they treat our clients. Everyone is treated with the utmost respect," she said.
"The absolute reality is we have got three part-time staff, but we could not open our doors to help the community without our volunteers."
During her time at the foodbank, Goodwin learned the importance of giving people the "benefit of the doubt" when first meeting them and not making judgments about their situations, she said.
"That is something we practice daily. You do get some amazing surprises as you meet people for the first time - maybe in circumstances you haven't experienced yourself. Learning and understanding we are not all the same makes life a lot easier."
Asked if she ever experienced stress at work, Goodwin said sometimes it could feel "a little overwhelming". But she only experienced stress when feeling like she was not achieving what she wanted to for people.
It was important to "step back and look at what we are here for - making sure people are receiving their groceries", she said.
"Our focus always goes back to people. Breaking it down like that makes it a lot easier to deal with busy and stressful times."
To unwind outside of work, Goodwin said it was "all about" spending time with her husband, children (aged 19 and 21), parents and sister.
