The Tauranga Community Foodbank's Christmas fairy Gillian Tustin has been making special Christmas parcels for seven years.
In the words of Dr Seuss: "Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas … perhaps … means a little bit more."
It would appear that's certainly the case for the Tauranga Community Foodbank and the generous donors and volunteers supporting it, who are doing everything they can to make December 25 a special day for the city's needy.
Gillian Tustin has been volunteering at the foodbank for seven years and has been making special Christmas parcels every year for most of that time.
"I think it's just having a few extras and especially if they're maybe going somewhere, they've got something to take, or if they're on their own, they've got some slightly different and special things."
Tustin volunteers at the foodbank every Wednesday during the year and leading up to Christmas, works most days.
She says during the holiday season this year, families can look forward to chips and classic Kiwi onion dip, pasta with pasta sauce, a pudding, a cake, some biscuits, Christmas mince pies when they are available, and always something sweet for the kids.
"The community's been wonderful," Tustin says.
"We've had Santa stockings that people have filled, people have made bags that are filled with lollies, we've had just yesterday a lot of hand-knitted stockings beautifully done and filled with sweets. We've got Christmas crackers, serviettes and chocolate."
She says she always focuses on the festive parcels in the last two weeks before Christmas.
People have been in tears when receiving them, Tustin says, and they are always so grateful.
"I just think, it's the community's response that makes such a difference to the parcels that we can provide.
"It's such a tremendous response – we've got plenty of everything, it's been wonderful."
For the past two years, one generous member of the public has also made packs for single men and single women.
They include things like shampoo, a toothbrush and some toothpaste, mouthwash, and maybe a flannel.
The Tauranga Community Foodbank's Christmas fairy Gillian Tustin has been making special Christmas parcels for seven years. Photo / Andrew Warner
Foodbank manager Nicki Goodwin says it is undoubtedly the icing on the cake for the foodbank to be able to include a special package of Christmas goodies in with its food parcels at this time of the year.
"We have received the most amazing donations of Christmas food and treats, and our Christmas fairies take much delight in putting these all together for people," she says.
"We have a very special Christmas fairy – Gillian Tustin – who has been doing this job single-handed for the past seven years."
Goodwin says the Bay of Plenty Times Christmas Appeal is still running ahead in both cash and food donations compared to last year, "which is just amazing".
With one week to go, the total amount raised stands at $93,447.60.
So far there have been 22,749 food items (valued at $2 each) and $47,949.60 cash donated to the foodbank.
One final big push is needed, Tauranga.
And if, unlike the Grinch, you are yet to come around to the idea of what Christmas truly means, maybe Dr Seuss' rhyme will inspire you to donate – some beans, sardines, or possibly even a few leafy greens.
