Enjoying preparing food parcels and gifts to distribute to
families in need are (from left) volunteer Kathleen
Wallace, Anglican Family Care worker Heather Trainor and
Christmas Foodbank co-ordinator Rosalie Littlejohn. Photo
by Brenda Harwood.
Christmas parcels containing food, treats and gifts have
been delivered to 300 Dunedin families by the Dunedin Combined
Christmas Foodbank.
The Christmas food and gift packages were prepared by the
city's main food banks and distributed by social agencies as
"a contribution to a Christmas meal for Dunedin families in
need", St Vincent de Paul manager Ken Fahey said.
Volunteers and social agency representatives spent the day on
Monday sorting and packaging goods, which were distributed on
Tuesday and Wednesday.
The annual Christmas Foodbank programme has been running for
about 10 years, with the aim of easing the stress of
Christmas for families.
"Things are tough out there for many people and Christmas can
add to the pressure," Mr Fahey said.
Most of the families that received the Christmas parcels were
clients of social agencies.
"We know there are many more families out there in need but
we have to stay within the resources we have," he said.
The city's foodbanks are continuing their regular work.
Stocks were boosted by the recent Community Can Drive, in
which emergency services and volunteers collected food from
Dunedin households.
"The can drive is a tremendous boost to us," Mr Fahey said.
The food, treats and gifts distributed through the Christmas
Foodbank were both donated and bought using funds donated by
local organisations and businesses, he said.
Supporters of the Christmas Foodbank included businesses and
Presbyterian, Anglican, Catholic and Methodist organisations.
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