Students score highly in foodbank fundraiser

Training For You student Ngawari Simon-Taniwha (left), City Mission Whanganui Foodbank co-ordinator Angela Crichton, tutor Bex Carr and student Tainesha Metekingi-Shramka in the Foodbank's storage room. Photo / Karen Hughes/Training For You

Students score high in Foodbank fundraiser
By Karen Hughes

The City Mission Whanganui Foodbank had a special delivery last week, following a fundraising effort by students at Training For You.

Students on the 15-week Retail programme hosted the fundraiser event through their on-campus café.

The Little Campus Café operates out of the Training For You tertiary education facility in Ingestre St and is open to the public as a training initiative. Students on the course have been running the cafe for a five-week season, to gain work experience. While honing their customer service skills, the students elected to serve their community with a fundraising event for the Whanganui Foodbank.

Just for one day, café customers were invited to bring in a can of food to exchange for a hot drink. Other fundraising efforts on the day included a bake sale, raffles and games. Many customers also donated food items in the days leading up to the event.

Training For You campus manager Emma Murphy was delighted to see the event so well supported by the community. "It was such a great effort by the students and it was fabulous to see such wonderful community support."

The final proceeds from the day resulted in two supermarket trolleys full of cans and other non-perishable food items, plus $560 in cash from the bake sale and games. The cash was used to purchase essential items the Foodbank needed – potatoes, carrots, sugar, eggs and toiletries.

Training For You tutor Bex Carr was thrilled by what her students achieved.

"The atmosphere on the day was full of fun and excitement – and the students really enjoyed fundraising for such a great cause."