Charity uses lottery for store entry
People have been queueing for hours at two pop-up stores run by a New Plymouth charity which redistributes surplus food to those in need.
On The House says demand has been so great it has been forced to bring in a lottery system.
Started in 2017, On The House rescues unwanted food from cafes, bakeries, restaurants – and more recently supermarkets – that would otherwise be destined for landfill or use as pig swill.
It used to operate out of a central city garage, but now runs a twice-a-week service from community centres in Strandon and Moturoa.
Co-ordinator Serena Brown said when the supermarkets came on board demand skyrocketed. ‘‘We started seeing a lot more people lining up and starting to line up really early at about 3.30pm and we don’t open here until 5pm.
‘‘So, we were quite concerned about people waiting for such an extended period of time, especially coming into winter with the rain and the cold.’’
Brown said they now asked people to draw lots to get into the pop-up store.
‘‘One of our trustees suggested the coloured iceblock stick idea and we’ve tried that for the last few weeks and it’s been working really well.
‘‘Nobody has to turn up early, everybody’s got the same chance of getting in first, second or third and it’s become quite a game and I think people are having fun with it.’’
Essentially, customers choose a coloured iceblock stick. A volunteer then blind draws a stick from a container and those people with the same colour can enter the pop-up store.
Typically there are about 100 customers who are welcome to take anything they like within certain limits.
Anything left over on the night is passed on to community groups who redistribute it through their networks.
Trustee Terry Hancock said On The House was meeting a hidden need.
‘‘There’s a lot of isolated, marginalised people in our community who are stuck away behind doors that people don’t see, so we see them every week.’’
Eileen Donovan, who lives alone and is not working following an injury, said the service helped her make ends meet.
‘‘Sometimes you just have some bills to pay and it’s just so helpful and generous, you know, to just donate food that was going to go to waste.
‘‘And I just so appreciate it. You know when you get home you can stock your food up and pay your bills. It’s huge.’’
On The House is open between 5pm and 6pm on Tuesday at the St James Presbyterian Church community hall on Lawry St in Moturoa and on Thursday at 10 Henui St at the community hall next to the Holy Trinity Church in Strandon. – RNZ