Farmer family donates $10,000 Lotto win to Tauranga Community Foodbank

Dianne Farmer, Nicki Goodwin and Peter Farmer. Photo / George Novak

A family behind one of Tauranga's largest car dealerships has donated $10,000 won off a $6 Lotto ticket to charity.

Peter Farmer, who founded Farmer Autovillage in 1991, and his wife Dianne won the cash prize with Lotto's Bullseye and chose to donate their winnings to the Tauranga Community Foodbank.

"There have been many times during our 52 years of marriage when the $10,000 would have made a difference to us," Peter Farmer said.

"However, today our family is privileged to reach a position where we can pass on our good fortune to an important community organisation such as the Tauranga Community Foodbank."

The pair found out about the prize via email on Monday morning and today

presented Tauranga Community Foodbank with the $10,000 cheque.

Dianne Farmer, Nicki Goodwin and Peter Farmer. Photo / George Novak

Tauranga Community Foodbank is a local charity, which provides support in the form of food parcels to families and people in need in the Tauranga region.

Priority One's Economic Monitor report for August quoted the Salvation Army's Social Impact Dashboard for New Zealand, which showed food parcels were up 38 per cent year-on-year for the period from January to June 2020 compared to the same period in 2019.

In April, during lockdown, the foodbank registered a 53 per cent spike and in May a record 752 food parcels were provided to those in need. Of the food parcels in May, 330 were given to foreign nationals on working or travel visas in need of short-term food support.

Tauranga Community Foodbank chairman Larry Bilodeau said he was moved by the generous donation.

"The Tauranga Foodbank has literally been a lifeline for many of the less fortunate people in our community. With the extra hardships this year the role of the Foodbank is even more important and necessary.

"The very generous donation provided by Peter and Dianne will help ensure we can continue to provide those in need with a high-quality food package."

Peter Farmer founded Farmer Autovillage in 1991. His son Mike Farmer took over the family business as Group managing director in 2004 and continues the focus in driving support for the Tauranga community.

During level 4 lockdown, Mike donated the use of a van so the Tauranga Community Foodbank could keep up with the delivery demand of food parcels.

"We live in a time of uncertainty and as a family have decided this windfall is best directed at those in need today," he said.