Foodbank shares shopping list
New Plymouth If you wouldn’t eat the food you’re donating to charity, then don’t donate it.
That’s the message from the New Plymouth Foodbank, which is asking members of the public to donate foods and goods to get them through 2019. They’re after products that don’t often get handed over – but not if they’ve been sitting in the back of the cupboard for years.
‘‘We won’t say no to anything as long as it’s not 10 years old as, unfortunately, we do in the food drive sometimes get stuff that’s from quite a long time ago,’’ New Plymouth Foodbank manager Sharon Wills said.
‘‘If you’re not going to eat it yourself, don’t donate it.’’
At 5.30pm on Monday volunteers will hit the streets of New Plymouth, Bell Block, Waitara, Inglewood and Oakura collecting food from neighbourhoods for their annual Christmas Food Drive.
Foods they are in most need of are spreads, long life/powdered milk, tinned foods and toiletry items.
‘‘Those are the things we don’t necessarily get donated a lot of,’’ Wills said. ‘‘We’re trying to make it as easy as possible for people who may not have the skills or the time or the facilities to cook.’’
However, they will not be accepting meats and fresh food and veges on the night due to health and safety concerns.
Donated food will last the Foodbanks around nine months before they begin to run low, which is what happened last month when the charitable organisation was having to buy food to continue feeding the community.
Wills said she had heard of families keeping children home from school because they were unable to provide lunch, but something as simple as jam on bread can get them through the school week.
‘‘Bread and jam, it’s not glamorous but it’s healthy,’’ Wills said.
Often food is separated into smaller bags so it can feed more people, so Wills said bigger food items weren’t always necessary.
‘‘We don’t need the biggest size of everything because we want to give people a lot of little things rather than be restricted to give a few people a whole lot,’’ she said.
‘‘A couple of cans is enough. If everyone gives a couple of cans we’re sweet. The more people give, the longer it is going to last.’’
Wills said toiletry items were often overlooked and anything people use in their house, the Foodbank needs.
‘‘I think they forget about the toiletry side of things,’’ she said.
‘‘The tampons and sanitary pads are really good because you hear about period poverty.
‘‘Some kids will go months without a fresh toothbrush.’’
Pet food was also accepted by the Foodbank as often people who are relying on the Foodbank can’t feed their pets.
‘‘If people can’t feed their kids they can’t feed their pets, either.’’
Reusable bags were also needed as plastic ones are phased out across the country.
‘‘Because we are going out of plastic bags we need to give people who are walking a carry option rather than a box.’’
The list of food the Foodbank needs: tinned tomatoes, tinned fish, rice, long life/powdered milk, pasta, pasta sauce, spreads, tinned spaghetti, sugar, milo, biscuits, crackers, muesli bars, instant coffee, baked beans, soup, tinned fruit, tooth paste, tooth brushes, shampoo, soap, dish washing liquid, clothes wash,, nappies and tampons/sanitary pads.
‘‘We do in the food drive sometimes get stuff that’s from quite a long time ago.’’ New Plymouth Foodbank manager Sharon Wills