Foodbank Demand Reaches New Heights in Tūrangi

For more than 20 years, Tūrangi FoodbankInc has provided a lifeline for people in need.

In that time, Chairperson Maggie Stewarthas seen economic ups and downs, changing government policies, and countlessfamilies facing hardship. But despite everything she has witnessed, she says “theneed has never been greater” than it is today.

The Tūrangi Foodbank now supports everyonefrom beneficiaries and people experiencing homelessness through to workingfamilies who are simply no longer able to make ends meet.

In just the first three weeks of June, thefoodbank distributed 108 parcels containing 610 days’ worth of food, which fed 300 people. “Last week, in two days, wehad six new families come through who had never been to foodbank before,”Maggie explains. “They live and work here, and they are really under pressureat the moment.”

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A Changing Picture of Need

Employment opportunities have always beenlimited in Tūrangi, but rising living costs are placing increasing pressure onhouseholds that were previously managing.

“We’ve always been in that lowsocioeconomic bracket,” Maggie says. “But the people who are working arefinding they’re just not making ends meet anymore. We’ve got some big familiesand they just haven’t got enough to go around.”

The scale of need means no singleorganisation can respond alone. Tūrangi Foodbank works closely with localsocial service providers including Tūwharetoa Health, Women’s Refuge, Probation,Budget Services, Te Korowai Roopu Tautoko INC and other community organisationsthat refer people requiring support. It also relies heavily on donated foodfrom community members, local businesses and national organisations.

Support From Every Direction

A significant portion of the fooddistributed each week comes through partnerships that Maggie and her fellowcommittee members have helped develop over many years.

TheAuckland-based NZ Food Network supplies surplus and rescued food that wouldotherwise go to waste, while Sika Foundation and Meet the Need both donatemuch-needed meat. Local businesses and community groups also play an importantrole, including New World, Genesis, Misfit Gardens, Bidfood Taupō, and annualcommunity food drives supported by the Tūrangi Fire Brigade, local residentsand other emergency services.

“We’ve got two sides to our community,”Maggie says. “We’ve got a very wealthy community and a very poor community. It’sthe middle that’s struggling badly right now.”

Volunteers play another crucial role by supplyingcontainers which are used to repackage bulk items such as dishwashing liquidand laundry powder.

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Familiar Faces Matter

Behind the scenes, three part-time paidstaff help keep the foodbank operating smoothly. They build relationships withclients and provide a consistent, welcoming presence for people who may feeluncomfortable asking for help.

“Having paid people at foodbank makes iteasier for our clients to utilise our services when they see a familiar face,”Maggie explains. “It helps to take away some of the embarrassment they feelabout needing to ask for food.”

BayTrust has supported Tūrangi Foodbank fora number of years and recently approved a further $10,000 grant towards operationalcosts. The funding helps bridge a shortfall not covered by other grants andensures the foodbank can maintain its current level of service.

“It means we can employ people and pay thema decent wage,” Maggie says. “We pay them the living wage, not the minimum wage,because I don’t want my workers having to come to the foodbank for food.”

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A Sense of Relief

For Maggie, who is preparing to step downas Chair in August after more than two decades of service, receiving the BayTrustgrant brought both practical support and peace of mind.

“It’s a shout of joy and it’s a feeling ofrelief,” she says. “We can keep going because we can’t not do foodbank – it’sjust so needed.”

While demand continues to grow, she remainsinspired by the generosity of funders, businesses, volunteers and communitymembers who help make the service possible.

“BayTrust are a wonderful group to partnerwith. Their understanding of our need comes through in the fact that theysupport us. We know we’ve got their support, and that just makes such adifference.”

As more families face financial pressure,Maggie believes the role of the foodbank will remain as important as ever. “Theneed doesn’t go away,” she says. “Circumstances don’t change quickly. I wouldhate to be in a position where I didn’t have enough to feed my children ormyself. I couldn’t imagine it, so we need to be there to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

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