The Bay of Plenty Times has launched its annual Christmas Appeal supporting the Tauranga Community Foodbank.
A local law firm is marking its 12th year of supporting the Tauranga Community Foodbank with a food collection and $5000 cash donation.
Cooney Lees Morgan Tauranga marketing manager Kay George said the law firm has organised the drive every year during the Bay of Plenty Times Christmas Appeal, which has become a tradition, and encourages other companies in their building to join in.
“We know that Tauranga Community Foodbank has been around for a long time and is one of those charities that services the community right at the heart of where it is needed.
“This year things have gotten tougher and so many people are having to ask for help that have never had to before.
“It’s so hard for people having never asked for community help and we know that the foodbank is like a warm, comfy blanket where they gather you in and do not judge you asking for help.”
She said Christmas was a special time when everyone should be able to gather with their family and have some treats.
Looking back on the last decade, George said past collections have been “hugely successful” and other tenants in the building are proactive and get behind the initiative.
Tauranga Community Foodbank volunteers Matt Semple and Nic Howitt collecting donations from Cooney Lees Morgan. Photo / Supplied
“We received a big ‘yes’ from the tenants so we went ahead again with organising the drive.”
Bayleys/Eves Realty, Baker Tilly Staples Rodway and KPMG are the other businesses that have donated to the drive.
Tauranga Community Foodbank general manager Nicki Goodwin said when they received a call from a business or organisation that wanted to contribute to the community via the foodbank they were “just so grateful”.
“We do not have the resources to go out and about collecting donations ourselves, so having others willing to do this on our behalf is such a godsend.”
Goodwin emphasised the importance of these donations and said the foodbank had been “very busy” with so much food support needed to support the community.
Over the past year, 7862 households have been supported by the foodbank. These households make up 24,434 people who have needed support, including 12,271 children.
To compare December to May, Tauranga Community Foodbank saw a 40% increase in the need for food support.
“This December is already 20% busier than last year, tough times out there for a lot of people,” Goodwin said.
Nicki Goodwin, Tauranga Community Foodbank general manager, is very grateful for donations from businesses in the community. Photo / Alex Cairns
She said she couldn’t quote exactly how many items have been donated by Cooney Lees Morgan, but this year marks Goodwin’s 12th Christmas at the foodbank and the tradition of giving from Cooney Lees Morgan was established before her arrival.
“I would estimate thousands of items, they do such a good job and also reach out before their collection to check in with what we have on the ‘wishlist’.”
Items on the foodbank’s wishlist this year include cereals, Christmas treats, spreads and tinned soup. Drinking chocolate, instant coffee, canned fruit, muesli bars and tinned fish would also be welcomed.
Tauranga Community Foodbank Wish List 2024
Cereal
Christmas treats
Spreads
Tinned soup
Drinking chocolate
Instant coffee
Canned fruit
Muesli bars
Tinned fish
Any items are welcome, even if they’re not on the list.
Kaitlyn Morrell is a multimedia journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has lived in the region for several years and studied journalism at Massey University.
