Parklands Produce owner Arlene Barbeau is confident the community in Te Puna and the surrounding areas will get behind the foodbank cause.
The Bay of Plenty Times Christmas Appeal total has risen above $32,000.
As of yesterday, $19,929 cash and 6417 food items (valued at $2 each) have been donated to the Tauranga Community Foodbank – a total of $32,763 raised in just three weeks.
Foodbank manager Nicki Goodwin said it did not matter how small each donation might seem, it all added up to a lot.
"I want everyone who is considering donating to understand that every single food item makes a difference, every single dollar donated helps us buy food in the future," she said.
"We love the fact that we see a lot of the same faces donating again this year which shows that they feel foodbank is a worthwhile charity, while also meeting lots of new faces who have taken notice of recent publicity and decided to participate in the appeal."
Meanwhile, Parklands Produce in Te Puna is collecting foodbank donations from people in the area and anyone that passes through.
Owner Arlene Barbeau has spoken with some of her customers about there being no drop-off point close by and said she wanted to help with that.
"There are a lot of very nice people here that are very community-minded and I think they will definitely support it," she said.
"There are many people out there that aren't as fortunate as most of us and I just think it's the right idea to support them and allow them to have a happy Christmas."
Parklands Produce owner Arlene Barbeau is confident the community in Te Puna and the surrounding areas will get behind the foodbank cause. Photo/John Borren
Barbeau said her shop – located at 860 State Highway 2 – would also make a donation to the foodbank.
"I think the appeal's great and we just hope that they get so full they don't know what to do with it all."
She has a Christmas bag at the door for contributions and will also be advertising the appeal on the blackboard outside by the highway.
"Letting everybody know that this is the place that they can drop off food for the people that don't have it," Barbeau said.
"It's family time and there's lots of families out there that don't have what we have, some of them can't even put food on the table, some of them are living in their cars ... it's time to think of other people as well as your own family."
