Foodbank gets help to make ends meet

The cost of living crisis is hitting local communities hard with even Marlborough Foodbank needing extra help to make ends meet.

The foodbank’s annual street appeal in November usually provides plenty of donations to keep the vital service running.

But supplies have run out months before they normally do as rising living costs continue to bite.

As the demand for help continues to grow, the Rātā Foundation has stepped in to help with costs including running the centre’s busy delivery van.

Foodbank Manager, Wynnie Cosgrove, says there are other costs which have to be met too.

"Running the foodbank is not just about packing parcels.

"There are many other things involved, like sourcing enough food supply and getting funding for the running costs.

"We have a group of about 25 volunteers working throughout the week, and they pack parcels, do deliveries, sort inward goods.”

Support from Rātā Foundation is helping meet some of the costs associated with running the foodbank's busy delivery van, which picks up donated goods and delivers food parcels.

Rātā Foundation has supported the important mahi of the Marlborough Community Foodbank for a number of years, and contributed more than $31,000 during that time.

Almost half of that funding has been in the last couple of years.

The foodbank's premises have also been upgraded with heat pumps so that staff and volunteers can stay warm and continue to meet the growing need of the local community.

Past years has seen the region-wide foodbank drive attract up to 300 volunteers who have collected about 1000 boxes full of non-perishable food.

This is usually enough to meet demand until the middle of the following year but collection numbers have dropped off, partly due to the cost of the living crisis affecting those who would typically donate.

Wynnie says that while the past year hasn’t resulted in the same spike in demand, the cost of living has ensured an increase in the need for the foodbank’s services.

“This past financial year, about 40 per cent of food packages went to families with at least one person in full-time employment.

“The pressure on people just to put food on the table for their whānau is significant,” she says.

During the COVID-19 pandemic  the foodbank give out more than 2000 food parcels to Marlburians struggling to make ends meet.

In 2022, demand increased dramatically for another 500 food parcels.

The foodbank works on client referrals, making it a centralised service for 47 member organisations in the Marlborough District, including Salvation Army, Maataa Waka, and Women's Refuge.

"These organisations refer their clients to us, and according to the size of the family, we pack the parcel," says Wynnie.

"We deliver it to the organisation, and they distribute them to whānau."

Salvation Army Blenheim Corps Officer Captain Jacob Howan says the collaboration with the foodbank allows them to work more closely with people to address additional challenges they may face.

“Through the foodbank’s support, we at The Salvation Army can assist whānau in our community by meeting their immediate needs,” Jacob says.

“This opens the door for us to have further conversations around any additional areas they may need support in.”

Rātā Foundation Chief Executive, Leighton Evans, says the Marlborough Community Foodbank supports those most in need.

"The foodbank and its many volunteers are wrapping their arms around the local community in support of those who are facing significant barriers to accessing life’s essentials.

“The organisation is not only meeting the need, but it is also strengthening the community through its network of volunteers and member organisations working together to connect people with the support they need when they need it most.”