During the past two weeks, Rotary Club members brought food items to the club’s meetings, and Gould supplemented the collection by purchasing additional groceries himself.
The final donation was about $500 worth of food, Gould said.
Last year, Gould also co-ordinated the effort on behalf of the club, organising a collection of about 200 items.
He said many donations were tins of baked beans, but in his opinion, “baked beans on Christmas Day doesn’t really appeal”.
Gould wanted to include treats to help make the day feel special, particularly for children, noting he often heard of kids going to school without enough food.
Alongside cans and boxes of cereal, the donation included fizzy drinks, candy canes and chocolate bars.
Festive staples were at the top of the foodbank’s donation wishlist this year.
Salvation Army community ministries manager Darnielle Hoods said little luxuries like sweets or Christmas treats made a big difference for families trying to create a special day for their children.
The Rotary Club of Rotorua has been operating for 98 years and supports a wide range of initiatives across the local community. It has 25 members and was led by president Russell Dale.
Gould regularly donated surplus produce to local foodbanks, he voluntarily cared for a vegetable garden at St David’s Church, and he also supported charities like the RSA and the Cancer Society.
He said food insecurity was something he saw often when out in the community.
Gould said sharply rising grocery prices had reinforced the importance of donating food this Christmas. Even staple items had climbed quickly in price, making it harder for families to stretch their budgets, he said.
The club’s donation was given to the Salvation Army on Monday.
Annabel Reid is a multimedia journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post, based in Rotorua. Originally from Hawke’s Bay, she has a Bachelor of Communications from the University of Canterbury.
