Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale shocked steady workers need foodbank

Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale said he was “surprised” to learn that people with steady incomes, including nurses and teachers, are among residents seeking help to put food on the table.

Drysdale visited the Tauranga Community Foodbank on Wednesday morning for a behind-the-scenes look at the dedicated work that goes into preparing for the busy Christmas season.

“I didn’t understand the impact, they’re feeding 25,000 people a year,” Drysdale said.

It was his first visit to the organisation, and Tauranga Community Foodbank general manager Nicki Goodwin said it was the first visit from any Tauranga mayor in her 12-year tenure.

Goodwin explained the work of the charity’s team of three paid employees and more than 75 volunteers, and the dire need for food in the community.

Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale at the Tauranga Community Foodbank with general manager Nicki Goodwin. Photo / Ayla Yeoman

She said they met people in need of support who worked in professions such as teaching, nursing and truck driving, “which would be considered to earn above-average rates of pay”.

“People are finding it more difficult to manage on a single income, and any unexpected expense or illness can certainly change financial circumstances very fast.”

She said the foodbank could turn $27 into four days of meals for one person – a shop that would cost about $80 if purchased from a regular supermarket.

Goodwin said some people visit the foodbank once, while others needed regular support for a period until they were back on their feet.

Drysdale said the visit underlined the council’s strategic priority to enable more housing.

“Why those people are struggling generally is because they can’t afford the house that they live in.

“There are some tough times and some things happen that are unexpected.”

He said some people were struggling due to unexpected changes in their lives, and the foodbank acted as “an ambulance at the bottom of a cliff”.

Tauranga remained one of the most unaffordable cities in New Zealand to buy a house, based on median incomes and house prices.

Drysdale said making homes more affordable required simpler processes to build houses and supporting infrastructure.

The Government’s Resource Management Act reform and the regional deal being negotiated for the wider Western Bay sub-region were “critical” to this goal.

Drysdale said the visit underlined the council’s strategic priority to enable more housing. Photo / Ayla Yeoman

He said he was “blown away” by the impact the foodbank was having in the community, adding a “massive thank you” to all the volunteers and donors.

“It’s making a real difference in the community.”

To those struggling, Drysdale said it was always better to reach out for help.

The Bay of Plenty Times’ annual six-week Christmas Appeal for the Tauranga Community Foodbank is in its final fortnight.

The appeal collects donations of food and funds to help the foodbank through Christmas and into the new year.

Food donations can be made at libraries or the foodbank depot on Brook St, and money can be donated via taurangafoodbank.co.nz.

Ayla Yeoman is a multimedia journalist based in Tauranga. She grew up in Taupō and studied at the University of Auckland, holding a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in Communications and Politics & International Relations. She has been a journalist since 2022.