Editorial: All of us can help foodbank

I've never had to rely on a foodbank.

I've been fortunate enough throughout my life to have enough food on the table, whether it was as a child or as an adult earning money.

But not everyone is this lucky. There are many people, often through no fault of their own, who simply can't manage to feed their family.

Yesterday, I got to see some of these people first hand when I visited the Tauranga Community Foodbank.

As I stood in the foyer, there were people around me coming in for food parcels and foodbank volunteers were busy filling their orders.

As they took their parcels to their cars, I found it a sobering lesson. It drove home to me the fact there are people in our community actually living on the bread line.

My visit was ahead of today's launch of the Bay of Plenty Times Christmas Appeal 2011, which aims to raise goods and funds for the Tauranga Community Foodbank.

The six-week campaign will be one of the biggest fundraisers we have led - and couldn't come at a better time.

It's been a tough year with the cost of living rising. In Tauranga, the foodbank has handed out a record number of parcels and is heading into its busiest time of the year.

As part of the campaign, we're asking you to give what you can to help local people less fortunate.

It only needs to be a can of food, or a gold coin. Or you might like to give more.

Food and money can be dropped off at the foodbank or at Westpac branches, and food items can also be dropped at our offices in Durham St and our branch offices.

Every bit helps. We have full details of how you can help in today's edition.

I am hoping businesses and schools across the city join and help this cause. I am more than happy to publish the names of people and organisations who help out and give publicity to any organisation doing something to help the campaign.

It's the least we can do.

Over the coming weeks, we will be publishing details Monday to Saturday of how you can help. We will also be running a series of articles on the foodbank, the dozens of wonderful volunteers who keep its doors open, organisations who help it, and some of the people who rely on it.

One of our journalists will volunteer at the foodbank and write about their experience.

You may also have story ideas, so feel free to email us at news@bayofplentytimes.co.nz.

Personally, it's the hungry children I feel most sorry for.

The shocking anecdote that we talk about on page one today, of children so hungry they tear into frozen bread from the foodbank as soon as it's loaded into the car, makes me wonder just how many other, similar stories there are.

And any one of us could one day find ourselves in need of foodbank help.

We can make a difference.

Please help us make Christmas and the festive season brighter for Bay families who really need it.