Donors respond as Foodbank reaches out again in time of need

There was a festive vibe at the New Plymouth Community Foodbank's Christmas Drive this week, with many volunteers in seasonal costume and holiday tunes blaring out over loudspeakers.

But that could not mask the impact of the cost of living crisis, which has caused demand for food parcels in the city to triple in recent times.

The Foodbank's collection drive is an institution in New Plymouth and it says 'Christmas' is upon us almost as much as late-night shopping and the annual office party.

About 600 volunteers - split into teams - scour the city's streets accompanied by the wail of sirens or yuletide hits designed to entice people to bring donations to their front gate.

Manager Sharon Wills said the collection was vital to the foodbank's very existence.

"The significance is huge - this will probably get us through five or six months of the year. We've got some good contacts for getting extra food when we need it, but we rely on this. If we didn't have this, we wouldn't be able to operate."

Rising prices were also affecting the foodbank's ability to buy fresh goods, and at the same time demand was at unprecedented levels, Wills said.

"I mean it's anybody, it's people in paid employment, it's not just people on benefits. It's mums, it's dads, it's nanas, it's granddads, it's people on New Zealand Super.

"Food's gone up, rent's up and mortgages are going to go up soon, yeah, it's just anybody and everybody."

Wills said the foodbank was helping three times as many clients as a short time ago.

"We used to average 18 months ago 45 parcels a week; now we are doing 45 parcels a day on each of the three days we're open."

Tracy Fenton who was with the Ministry of Social Development team of volunteers had gone the extra mile to bring some seasonal cheer.

"I've got a complete elf costume because I think at a time like this you've got to have a little bit of silliness when everything is so serious in this world and I just like being goofy and to try and bring that little bit of joy and hopefully entice people to give generously."

David Law who was co-ordinating a team from his company, Apex Digital, was a Christmas food drive veteran.

"It's something we've probably been involved with for the last eight years with the collections although obviously we missed last year with Covid, but we just like to get involved and get out amongst the community and help collect for the foodbank.

"We're just surprised by the generosity of people each year and quite often it's the people you least expect to be giving who give the most."

Matt Hastings was setting the vibe for the Apex Digital team.

"My job is I guess to just use the power of rock 'n' roll to get ready for the foodbank drive to head out with what they are donating for the collectors to grab, so driving around making some rock noise, mate."

It did the job for Megan who had come out to make a donation with her children, Quinn and Jackson.

She had been thinking about those less fortunate.

"The cost of living crisis is a real crisis to be honest. It's quite crazy to see how everything has increased. If the middle class to the lower class can barely afford to keep up how is everyone else keeping up?"

Matilda Silva, 16, also wanted to contribute.

"I think it's definitely important to share and especially during Christmas time. I know there are lots of Kiwis who don't have enough, so I think it's really good to be able to share and make sure everyone has a good Christmas."

She had some goodies from the pantry.

"We've just got some pasta, some cans of beans, tuna and just some muesli bars."

The foodbank was expecting to fill more than 400 apple crates with non-perishable items collected on the Christmas drive.