The Paeroa Neighbours Foodbank is struggling to keep its shelves full, even as demand for aid is growing.
The foodbank, a collaborative project run under the umbrella of the Paeroa Community Support Trust, gave away 293 emergency food parcels in the last financial year. These parcels provided food for 512 adults, 280 children and numerous cats and dogs, the trust said.
The year prior saw the foodbank provide 259 parcels.
Committee president Sharon Hamilton said the foodbank was seeing more people than ever, from a widening range of society.
“There’s quite a few homeless in Paeroa now, and transients… middle income earners [who] are losing their jobs… there’s a family we know of living in a van,” she said.
Along with the rise in need, the foodbank is also contending with higher food costs, along with a drop in donations.
“Our monthly restock of the Foodbank is now in the vicinity of $1000 per month, which is an increase of around $200 – $300 for a similar amount last year,” Sharon said.
“We are not seeing as many donations from the community, which I feel is also a reflection of the rising costs we are all feeling.”
A basic parcel from the foodbank contains Marmite, jam, noodles, flavour sachets, rice, baked beans, spaghetti, tins of fruit and veggies, pasta, tea bags, coffee, tinned fish, and soup.
“This is added to once the request is received, depending on how many the parcel is for,” Sharon said.
“Usually added is cereal, eggs, milk, bread, margarine, soap, toilet roll, washing powder, dish washing liquid, any fresh produce that has been donated as well as any other things that might have been donated like biscuits, cake mixes, chips etc. This of course varies as to what we have in our stores at any given time.”
Along with the parcels, staff also try to engage their clients with free financial mentoring services.
“We try to help them find where they might be missing out on something that they’re entitled to… it’s about helping you get out of whatever situation you’re in,” she said.
“We believe in a hand up, not a handout.”
DETAILS: Drop donations at the Hauraki Resource Centre, 2 Mackay St, Mon-Fri 10am-2pm.
