Since 1997, emergency services staff and volunteers have taken to the streets to help replenish the stocks of local foodbanks.
Co-ordinator and senior firefighter Aimee Taylor said once again more than 200 volunteers, including urban and rural firefighters, police and ambulance officers, will be part of a convoy of fire, police, civil defence and ambulance vehicles picking up donations across the city next week.
On Monday, December 4, from 6pm to 8.30pm, emergency services vehicles will pick up items from Green Island, Brighton, Abbotsford, Waldronville, Fairfield, Mosgiel, Outram and Allanton.
For people living in Dunedin city and surrounding suburbs, Thursday, December 7 from 6pm to 8.30pm is the time to leave items for collection.
Ms Taylor asked contributors to provide only canned and packaged foods, no fresh food or cash.
For those who might be away, she requested items be left in a visible place for collection, such as in front of letterboxes or by a fence.
The donations will be distributed to foodbanks run by Saint Vincent de Paul, Presbyterian Support, the Salvation Army and the Mosgiel Community Foodbank, and cans can also be dropped off at the foodbanks.
Foodbanks across the city say there is a real need for the items collected.
Salvation Army tumuaki, community ministries manager Fiona Arnold said demand was without a doubt increasing not only for food but also for social worker and caseworker support.
"Within our direct food services, given via our food bank, we have had a staggering 210% increase in food requests and have supported clients to achieve greater food security."
Ms Arnold said there was a 37% rise in new clients and a 109% increase in assisted families compared to last year.
Notably, single people were frequently seeking assistance.
"Many of these clients are working, but running out of money once the weekly bills are paid."
Ms Arnold said the can collection was of huge importance to the Salvation Army.
"With the incredible increase in need we are witnessing daily, we are so grateful to be one of the services benefiting from the efforts of all those who make it happen."
St Vincent de Paul centre and pastoral co-ordinator Sarah Strang said its foodbank relied entirely on the generous support of the "wonderful Ōtepoti community".
"The foodbank is currently busier than we have ever been and food donations have dwindled as our community feels the pinch of considerable increases in food prices."
The can appeal was a primary source of cans for the year and was "enormously appreciated", she said.
Mosgiel Food Bank co-ordinator Michelle Kerr said it had been "crazy" at the foodbank.
"It is the only word I can probably describe it — very busy."
There were a mix of new clients each month, from beneficiaries to working families.
"We are having two-parent working families coming in, just because mortgage rates are escalating ... everything is escalating."
Presbyterian Support Otago family works practice manager Debbie Gelling said its food bank was one of the busiest in Dunedin, and demand was not slowing as it got closer to Christmas.
"This is the time of year many see expenses for end-of-year events put pressure on household budgets, and with older children at home following the end of the school year, there is an increase in food demand and more power within the home is being used."
It had seen a more than 6% increase in people requesting food parcels for the period between November 1, 2022, to October 31, 2023, compared to the same period the previous year.
"The need in the community continues to be high as people are facing the impact of increased cost of living, including high rents, petrol costs, increased mortgage interest rates and the rising costs of food."
