Lisa Glass from The Shine Collective adds to the swag of donations for the Tauranga Community Foodbank at the Bay of Plenty Times' offices. Photo / Peter Williams
"Food is love."
And with this mantra, Lisa Glass from The Shine Collective donated several bags brimming with groceries to the Tauranga Community Foodbank.
"We wanted to share the love," Glass said.
The Shine Collective is a communications consultancy based in Rotorua and Tauranga with a strong focus on "people and passion".
"Part of donating [to the foodbank] is there's no judgment with food," Glass said.
"You just give it. And it is something that affects everybody."
Glass visited the Bay of Plenty Times office this week to place her swag of groceries, paid for by her employer, under the Christmas tree as part of this year's Christmas Appeal.
"Of all the time to be hungry, Christmas would be the worst time."
The Shine Collective believed in doing good things for good people, particularly when family was involved, Glass said.
"Most of our staff are all parents or aunties or have young people to look after."
The donation comes as the Tauranga Community Foodbank banks $7158.50 worth of cash donations and 1802 food items in the first week of the appeal.
Tauranga Community Foodbank manager Nicki Goodwin said she was heartened by the generosity shown by businesses who have already donated to the charity.
The Bay of Plenty Times Christmas Appeal has been the paper's annual campaign for eight years.
More than $694,700 has been raised since the appeal started in 2011.
Goodwin said the Christmas donations were a massive relief for people struggling to make ends meet at this time of year, and just after.
January and February were traditionally busy months as children were at home and not able to take part in school food programmes, families struggled with back-to-school costs and there was often unexpected bills and situations, she said.
The foodbank is affiliated with 95 local social service agencies including Tauranga Budget Advisory Services.
You will need to visit one of the Tauranga Community Foodbank's approved referral agencies to obtain a "food parcel referral". Just take along some form of ID and they will be able to get things sorted. They will give the foodbank a call so that they know you will be visiting for some help. That way the team at the foodbank can have everything ready when you arrive.
The couple spend five months a year in America running their business.