Funds found to feed Tūrangi
Tūrangi Foodbank is feeding about 100 people a week with record demand this winter.
Tūrangi Foodbank volunteers (from left) Olive Hart, Maggie Stewart (chair), Nicky Finlayson get another box of supplies ready. Photo: Supplied
BayTrust has just provided a $10,000 grant to keep the operation running for the rest of the year but more peope are being encouraged to get involved for the future.
The recent funding covers a shortfall in staff wages and comes as the organisation urges new volunteers to join the committee and ensure the foodbank remains well supported for years to come.
Foodbank chairwoman Maggie Stewart says, in just the first three weeks of June, the foodbank distributed 108 parcels containing 610 days’ worth of food, feeding 300 people.
“In just two days we had six new families come through who had never been to foodbank before. They live and work here, and are really under pressure at the moment.”
Local employment opportunities are limited in Tūrangi, but Stewart says rising living costs are increasingly affecting households that were previously managing.
“We’ve got two sides to our community. We’ve got a very wealthy community and a very poor community. It’s the middle who have joined the struggle, with the cost of electricity and general increases across the board.”
BayTrust’s funding helps retain three part-time staff members who coordinate food distribution and provide support to clients.
Stewart says having paid people at foodbank makes it easier for clients to use the service because they see a familiar face each time.
“It helps to take away some of the embarrassment they feel about needing to ask for food.”
The $10,000 grant fills a funding gap not covered by other funding sources and ensures the foodbank can continue operating at its current level.
“It means we can employ people and pay them a decent wage. We pay them the living wage, not the minimum wage, because I don’t want my workers having to come to foodbank for food.”
Stewart says receiving confirmation of the grant brought much-needed certainty.
“It’s a shout of joy and it’s a feeling of relief. The need for our foodbank doesn’t go away and circumstances don’t change quickly. I would hate to be in a position where I didn’t have enough to feed my children. So we need to keep our doors open and make sure that doesn’t happen.”
While the funding secures services for the year ahead, Stewart says the organisation is also looking to the future.
She is encouraging community-minded residents to join the committee and help shape the future.
"For more than 20 years, I've had the privilege of helping lead this organisation and watching the community rally around people who need support.
"We’re always looking for people with fresh ideas, enthusiasm and a willingness to get involved so we can continue building on that work. We’d love to hear from anyone who is interested in helping make a difference in our community."
BayTrust CEO Alastair Rhodes says Tūrangi Foodbank provides an essential service for locals facing hardship.
“There is a misconception that food insecurity only affects people who are unemployed. Increasingly, organisations like Tūrangi Foodbank are seeing working families seeking support as they deal with rising living costs and financial pressure.
“This funding will help ensure the foodbank can continue providing practical support, dignity and care to people when they need it most. We are also pleased to see the organisation inviting new community members to become involved in its future. Volunteers are the lifeblood of our communities and we hope people will consider how they can contribute.”