Mrs Goodwin said the food bank was used to support people through emergencies, financial problems, illnesses, accident or a death in the family, loss of work and big or unexpected bills.
"We provide emergency support and then we can provide longer-term support if people are willing to work with a budgeter to get ahead if they have found themselves overwhelmed with bills and debt."
The range of people who came in for support was huge, she said.
"From 18 years of age we can provide assistance but we have people visiting us when they are quite elderly too. We also provide a lot of assistance to wage earners just because the cost of living exceeds their income."
Having worked for the Tauranga Foodbank just over a year, Mrs Goodwin constantly sees the need for their services.
The food bank runs on the generosity of the 37 volunteers. Five are rostered on each day and they organise and pack food parcels from referrals the food bank has received from other agencies or walk-ins.
This year the Tauranga Community Foodbank has helped 16,679 people and of that almost 10,000 children - reaching almost 2000 people a month.
Over 5000 food parcels have been given out, she said.
"And that's not just one meal, we give something for breakfast, lunch and dinner, supplies for baking, toilet paper and soap, whatever we can.
"We make the parcels as the people come in, as per their circumstance according to how many adults, children and then the ages of the children. The SPCA has even started supplying us with pet food.
"Things happen, it's that extra $50 they need in their budget, that they can then pay for their car bill or power bill and then they are OK."
Thousands of dollars are spent every month to fill the shelves of the food bank for those in need, Mrs Goodwin said.
"That's why cash donations are so important as well. Every week we purchase eggs, potatoes, spreads, onions, flour, sugar, toilet paper, soap and Weetbix.
"The rest of the items come from local business. We have amazing support from some businesses. It's outstanding what they do for us on a regular basis.
"Then there are the individuals who come in and support us, some of them, every week or fortnightly.
"We have a woman who comes in every Wednesday with home baking and a doctor who comes in every month with cash and groceries. She will always buy what we need.
Often they are given bags of coffee beans that they can't give out to recipients because they don't have the right coffee machines.
"We offer it, but we get more than we can give out so we give it to St John and then other things to St Vincent De Paul. We really try and tie in with all the community charities, which is really important to us."
Mrs Goodwin said the food bank staff couldn't ever express how grateful they are when someone walked in the door with another donation.
"Most people only come here as a very last resort. If we weren't here then what would happen? They have obviously tried every other step in between. It's definitely the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff."
It's the positive experiences every day that make it worth it for Mrs Goodwin.
"Two months ago I had a woman come in with three children. They had never used the food bank before and she was referred through an agency and we helped her out with a parcel.
"She was so grateful she came back in to see me with her last $2. That was all she had left in her wallet and she wanted to give that back to us, as a way to say thank you for what she had received."
Swapping out pasta for toilet paper and bars of soap I notice the warm atmosphere and the friendly disposition everybody has towards each other in the room.
Chatting to volunteer Alice Warren, 57, she tells me she has been helping out at the food bank for nine years, something she looks forward to every Wednesday.
"Even though I am just preparing the food, I'm doing it for a family who really needs it. It's a privilege to be able to give to people in need. This is their last stop".
Mrs Warren said the community of volunteers at the food bank were all of the same mind.
"To help people in absolute need because it's the last stop. No questions are asked. No judgments are made. You are here because you need it as there is nowhere else to go so the only thing to do is to give."
We finish my day at the food bank by packing up some of the food parcels that are going out to those in need. As I whizz around the edge of the store room with a grocery trolley, I feel like I really am going shopping.
I get the frozen goods from the freezer and pull down canned food off the shelves to fill the basket.
The food is basic yet wholesome and as I look down at the food parcel I think how it will make a world of difference to one struggling family.
