Port gives foodbank festive boost

YULETIDE SPIRIT: Tauranga Community Foodbank volunteer Carol Thompson from Ohauiti with Mark Cairns from the Port of Tauranga. PHOTO/RUTH KEBER

The Port of Tauranga donated $6000 to the Tauranga Community Foodbank yesterday as a part of the 2014 Bay of Plenty Times Christmas Appeal.

The donation comes during the foodbank's busiest time of year.

The Port of Tauranga also donated $4000 to Canteen.

Port of Tauranga chief executive Mark Cairns said they had canned corporate Christmas gifts so they would be able to make donations to community organisation like the foodbank.

It was the fifth year the port had made a donation to the foodbank.

"We've had a lot of food from staff who think the foodbank is a fantastic cause at this time of year," he said.

Every year the port staff nominate a cause, and the management team decides a primary and secondary cause to support at Christmas.

Mr Cairns said he was delighted to be able to help the foodbank during this time of year.

Nicki Goodwin, Tauranga Community Foodbank manager, said the donation was one of the bigger ones they had received this year and they were very grateful because it was the busiest time of the year and everything cent and donation counted.

The Christmas spirit had reached every corner of the community yesterday, she said.

"We had a woman come in who had received food parcels from the foodbank for five years, she had needed help several times a year, obviously at different times.

"But she came in with her family and gifted us back boxes and boxes of food and drink and said it was to say thanks for the assistance her and her family had received in the past."

Mrs Goodwin said the gesture showed the genuine need for the foodbank and the real appreciation of those who received help.