Two Bay of Plenty food rescue organisations, Chrome Collective and Good Neighbour, have received a $10,000 donation from Foodstuffs North Island.
Willa Hand, Head of Membership Experience for Foodstuffs North Island, said the donation was part of the cooperative's ongoing commitment to being HereforNZ, ensuring New Zealanders have access to healthy and affordable food.
“Food rescue organisations are an important partner for us, helping redirect food to the community that would otherwise have gone to landfill,” said Hand.
“Supporting our local communities is important, and the Chrome Collective and Good Neighbour teams are doing awesome mahi. Our local PAK’nSAVE and New World stores already partner with them, but we wanted to give an extra boost towards the important work they provide to the community.”
Chrome Collective is a Bay of Plenty's Katikati-based charity that offers support and opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
Following the challenges of the pandemic, the Chrome Collective team identified a growing need for food support in Katikati. They run a food rescue to ensure that food that might otherwise be thrown away reaches those who need it most.
“Funding has become increasingly hard to access, and this grant from Foodstuffs North Island has come precisely at the right time,” said Shelley Robinson, Manager of Chrome Collective.
“This money will go towards operational costs and help keep our food rescue running. Our organisation serves a dual purpose – every item we rescue makes a difference for families, but it also helps the environment by preventing items from going to landfill.”
Good Neighbour is another local charity and community support organisation in the Bay of Plenty that has recently expanded into food rescue.
Through partnerships with local businesses, they collect 2.6 tonnes of food per week, distributed to over 6,500 people struggling to put food on the table.
“Food insecurity is one of the most significant issues facing Kiwis in 2024, and we appreciate Foodstuffs' ongoing support,” said Renee Hanna, General Manager of Good Neighbour.
“This grant will help us expand our storage capacity, including adding shelving, tables, equipment, and chillers. We are collecting more food than ever and have struggled with space limitations."
She added that in a recession, the level of need has only been going up, so it was great to be able to invest in operations to ensure meeting the growing level of demand.
Foodstuffs North Island and its Here for NZ fund support reducing food waste and emissions and redirecting surplus food for communities in need. Foodstuffs North Island has donated $140,000 to 14 food rescue organisations this year.
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