Help spread festive cheer in Rotorua with Salvation Army appeal

Rotorua Salvation Army's Kylie and Ralph Overbye. Photo / File

While Christmas is a special time of celebration with friends and family, it can also put even more of a strain on those struggling to make ends meet.

The Rotorua Daily Post, with support from the Rotorua Weekender and The Hits Rotorua 97.5FM, today launches its annual Christmas appeal to raise food and money for the food bank.

Currently, until December 19, the team is seeking non-perishable food donations to help the Salvation Army Foodbank continue its work throughout the Christmas period and into 2021.

Rotorua Salvation Army corps officer Kylie Overbye says the effects of Covid-19 means there are more families in need than ever.

Christmas and the festive season always puts a lot of pressure on low-income families, so being able to provide food, gifts and Christmas hampers is a godsend, Kylie says.

"We're coming up to five years now and each year the Rotorua community just astounds us.

The appeal is of huge importance to the charity because it allows it to provide anyone in need over the Christmas period with food but also keep food bank stocks high throughout the year.

Foods including tinned baked beans, soup and spaghetti, plus staples such as pasta and rice were always welcome along with anything else people were willing to give.

The food donated through the appeal goes towards creating Christmas hampers for those in need. Any money donated will be used to buy more food.

Any gifts donated will be given to families for their children.

The Salvation Army asked that gifts be brought in unwrapped, so parents can be provided with wrapped paper to get the special feeling of wrapping them up themselves.

Last year's appeal saw a total of 22,403 items given to the food bank. Coupled with cash donations the total amount donated was $64,145.20.

After its roaring success last year, another Fill the Bus event will take place on December 2.

Last year's Fill the Bus event broke the record for the largest haul of donations ever received, with a whopping 7166 items donated worth about $14,332.

The bus will travel around the city so locals can fill it with canned goods. The schedule is still to be confirmed.

Glenbrae Arvida Retirement and Care has begun collecting for the appeal.

Village manager Maria Jay says while Glenbrae staff and residents choose multiple organisations to support throughout the year, like Kids Can and the Cancer Society,
they are concerned about the impact of Covid-19 on families in the community in terms of luxury items and gifts for their children, and are committed to helping out wherever they can.

"We love supporting organisations who are without judgement of why people need help and just get on with helping."

The sorts of donations they have so far range from basic food items to the more expensive treats, Maria says.

This is the first time in a while Glenbrae have gotten behind the appeal, as it had focused recently on a variety of groups like Age Concern, making items for the chemotherapy unit and breakfasts in school through Kids Can.

Glenbrae have another project running at the same time which is for community children made up of boys and girls gifts, with half going to the Rotorua shoe box Christmas initiative and the other half will be a surprise donation to others in need.