Food bank marks 30th
Putting food on the table for those struggling has motivated the Napier Community Foodbank for the past 30 years and last week they celebrated that milestone with an afternoon tea at All Saints Church in Taradale.
Founding member Doreen McPhail says it’s always been about community supporting community.
“It’s about being kind and generous. It’s not difficult to put one can into the bin at the supermarket. It’s the old adage — if you give people a chance to be generous they will.”
The food bank relies on donations from supermarkets, churches, organisations and businesses to stock their shelves and fill the food parcels. In the year to March 31, 1355 parcels were distributed through 37 different health and welfare services to 4524 people needing emergency food relief, manager Maggie Ronchi says.
“We get so much wonderful support from so many parts of the community.”
One such contributor is Mark Schofield from Deco City Discoverer, who each May donates his bus, driver and fuel for the annual three day Feed the Bus Fuel the Family initiative, driving around schools and businesses picking up donations of food.
“I really enjoy going around the schools and being able to help out. It’s fun seeing all the goodies the kids bring to school — it’s nice to give something back,” Mark says.
The collection nets around 100 banana boxes full of food to replenish the foodbank.
“We get a great haul — it sets us up for winter,” Maggie says.
Quality Bakers in Onekawa is also one of the standout organisations which Maggie says bakes 50 loaves a week for the Napier Community Foodbank.
“It’s a huge commitment — it never ceases to amaze me.”
Maggie says when the shelves get a bit short of stock, she sends out an email to the churches and by the next week “it comes in”.
“Our logo is great — when the balance tips, it self-balances.”
Doreen remembers a time when people would go around gala days collecting Butterick and Simplicity sewing patterns and fish out the tissue paper.
“It was to use instead of toilet paper.”
Now loads of toilet paper with damaged packaging is donated to the food bank. Maggie says parcels are basically put together as a four day emergency relief package of non-perishables, with fresh produce chosen from an approved list supplied by the Community Foodbank Trust. These include vegetables, eggs, table spread and long life milk. Every first time food parcel also has a booklet inside which includes topics such as budgeting tips and the odd recipe.
The food bank has no contact with clients — food parcels are sorted through the different agencies. Clients can access two parcels a year — a third if necessary. Doreen says these parcels are often enough to get people over a hump.
“A crisis is then averted and people may be open to budget advice.”
More than 70 volunteers pack parcels, collect from supermarkets and Quality Bakers. Maggie says the foodbank would not operate without the volunteers.
“We are eternally grateful — two of them have been with us for 28 years.”
She says the recent celebration was about acknowledging 30 years of active, compassionate support for the Napier community.
“It’s about all of us doing this together.”
Doreen says the beauty of it is it is all happening quietly in the background.
“It’s a community response to a community problem. The people receiving the parcels are really, really appreciative — the relief is enormous.”
■ Donations can be made into bank account BNZ 020 766002 6618 02