Corps officer Kylie Overbye said the appeal had been "out of the books". Photo / Caroline Fleming
When the call goes out, the community responds.
This was the basis of what this year's Rotorua Daily Post Christmas Appeal was all about and boy, did it provide.
Six weeks of pure generosity from all corners of the Rotorua community has allowed the Salvation Army Foodbank to create a magical Christmas for so many in need.
Not only that, but the foodbank looks to be healthy and thriving right into the new year.
The total amount collected in donations in value was sitting at $54,739 on Friday morning.
However, many of the monetary donations have not yet been counted and the official tally will be released in the coming days.
The team at the Salvation Army had worked tirelessly to get the new building up and running and run an incredibly successful appeal.
Corps officer Kylie Overbye said although it had been a hard appeal in terms of juggling all the chaos, the "passion" of her team had shone through.
She said the appeal had been "out of the books" and she had seen so many acts of kindness and generosity.
The work did not stop at the appeal though, Overbye said giving people in need something like food and gifts was a good entry point in helping them in other ways.
Gaining trust and providing that lifeline may allow some of them to open up and let the team provide further support, she said.
A driving force behind the Christmas hampers was taking the stress off parents in need to be able to create happy memories with their children.
She said a lot of people in need were so fixed on paying their next bill and what not that family time could fall to the wayside. This was where providing treats and help was vital.
Looking back on the appeal, Overbye said her main highlight was being able to take the fruitful Christmas hampers to the Murupara community for the first time.
She said seeing their reactions at having the team in their community was heart-warming.
"They were so grateful for our presence."
Another big highlight for Overbye was the way some community businesses put on events in exchange for a can.
She said this allowed people to also create memories or have a special treat for their generosity.
"It was such a great way to share delight, many could not afford to do those things otherwise."
Finally, a huge highlight every year was the Fill the Bus as the whole community of all ages came together to just give.
"We really look forward to doing it every single year."
She said the appeal made such a difference to the city and that made it such a treat to do annually.
The appeal will officially wrap up this afternoon.
APPEAL HIGHLIGHTS:
November 13: First big ticket donation from The Shine Collective - $250 worth of groceries.
November 26: Scope's Can for a Coffee day - a roaring success.
November 30: Halfway point - close to $4000 in donations raised.
December 5: Fill the Bus rolls into town - more than 7000 items donated. A Fill the Bus record broken.
December 16: Zorb's can for a ride day takes place - thousands of cans roll into foodbank.
December 19: The Rotorua Trust donates $10,000 - the biggest monetary donation in the appeal.
'This decision has not been made lightly'.