Community Ministries Welfare Team Leader Simon Tupu at the Salvation Army Foodbank. Photo / Sophie Trigger
Community Ministries Welfare Team Leader Simon Tupu at the Salvation Army Foodbank. Photo / Sophie Trigger
The Salvation Army is calling on Kiwis to donate fresh produce, with around 20,000 food parcels expected to be delivered this winter.
The Foodbank Project allows for fresh food to be delivered from supermarkets such as Countdown to 23 Salvation Army Foodbanks across New Zealand.
As Countdown's Food for Good Winter Appeal kicks off, services are asking for the public to donate staple foods instore or online to support struggling families.
Newtown Community Ministries team leader Simon Tupu, who oversees the Foodbank that supplies the Wellington region, said their Foodbank provided between 80 and 120 parcels each week.
This had increased during last year's Covid lockdown and had not returned to pre-Covid levels, due to the ongoing financial strain of the pandemic, Tupu said.
Welfare Team Leader Simon Tupu said they also hoped to educate people on nutrition and cooking. Photo / Sophie Trigger
Families or individuals could be provided with essentials to get them through to their next benefit payment, but Tupu stressed it was an emergency service.
A social worker would usually assess a person's need upon arrival, and if it was their third or fourth time perhaps link them with social worker or financial support.
"We'll do everything we can to give someone a food parcel, not dig to find every reason why we can't," he said.
"But at the same time we are really trying to get to that underlying need … we're trying to give someone a hand-up rather than a hand-out, because long-term that's not sustainable."
The Foodbank always welcomed donations of fresh produce. Photo / Sophie Trigger
He said they very rarely had to turn someone away.
"If someone wants to come in weekly we would have to draw the line in the sand, because we are an emergency Foodbank.
"But we would do everything we can with their Winz worker to not leave someone hungry."
While donations of non-perishables such as cans, pasta and rice were always welcome, Tupu said they were especially keen for fruit and vegetables, small amounts of meat and things that could go in school lunches.
As the Foodbank aimed to educate families on nutrition and cooking, they also like to have items people families could make meals with, rather than the snacks and treats that people often preferred.
The Foodbank had plenty of baked beans, and asked for more meal-friendly donations such as fruit, vegetables and small amounts of meat. Photo / Sophie Trigger
"The snacky stuff is good for treats and stuff but if we can get people down the line of making meals, we know that's going to sustain them long-term, especially families," he said.
"We do see people's eyes light up when they come in and see the chocolate and the biscuits, which is cool because they probably haven't had that in a while but we have to ask 'what are you going to have to dinner?'"
Countdown Newtown delivers the Salvation Army a twice-weekly order to supplement what is received through donations.
On Friday morning Countdown Newtown online manager Leijanne Vahua packed a bulk order of around 90 items, that included crates of fruit, soaps, toiletries and 15 loaves of bread.
Countdown Newtown delivers to Salvation Army Foodbank twice a week. Photo / Sophie Trigger
They also provided food through a programme called Kaibosh, through which produce that could not be sold could be picked up by the Salvation Army.
Countdown's Food for Good Winter Appeal runs from July 5 – August 2, where the supermarket will match public donations up to $200,000.
Kiwis can donate non-perishable items such as long-life milk, wheat biscuits, rice, flour, pasta and canned foods instore at Countdown, or perishable items directly to the Salvation Army Foodbank.
