Give generously - but please no tinned tomatoes or chickpeas, say charities

Tuesday, 12 December 2017

Caroline Herewini, of the Porirua Māori Women's Refuge, says tinned meat and anything for children's lunches is more useful than tomatoes or chickpeas. 'What are our people going to do with chickpeas?'

It might be the season for giving, but please, no more tinned tomatoes.

These, along with lentils and beans, are some of the items charities would rather do without, however desperate they are for food donations.

The Aunties women's refuge founder Jackie Clark, right, has issued a ban on tinned tomatoes - 'because nobody eats the things'.

Auckland-based refuge charity The Aunties has issued an outright ban on tinned tomatoes, saying they are useless for the women and children it supports. They don't have the ingredients to go with the food in the first place.

'Open up a pantry in a refuge or emergency house and there's always bloody tinned tomatoes because nobody eats the things,' spokeswoman Jackie Clark said.

Tinned tomatoes, like chickpeas, have to be cooked with other ingredients that women in refuges just don't have, Clark says. 'They want something easy to eat.'

Tinned fish is always appreciated, as are tinned stews and fruit, says Wellington's Downtown Community Mission. 'Something a bit sweet is nice.'

* The siren call to help food bank

*** Donations for Women's Refuge

Cans with tear-tabs are particularly useful for people who are rough sleeping, and biscuits and crackers are popular.

Porirua Māori Women's Refuge kaiwhakahaere (supervisor) Caroline Herewini said: 'We ask for fresh meat and vegetables and we get beans and lentils.

'What are our people going to do with chickpeas?'

Both stressed they were keen for donations, especially in the runup to Christmas, but urged people to check first and ask what was needed most.

Fresh food, school lunches and tinned meat were always wanted, as was cash, so the charity could buy the things that were running low, Herewini said.

'Give us the means to get what we need, and what we need right now is food for the table.'

Clark said: 'I've been saying it for five years: for God's sake ring your refuge and ask what they need. It won't be tomatoes.'

Chickpeas came a close second, she said – 'Are they going to be making hummus in the safe house?' – as, like tomatoes, they had to be cooked and accompanied with other ingredients, using knowledge and supplies that many families often didn't have.

'They're in shock, they're grieving. Mothers are sharing a room with their children, and they want something easy to eat, not tinned tomatoes.'

Clark likened the emotions behind a woman's arrival to a safe house to the grief of losing a loved one.

'All you want to do is eat chocolate and drink cups of tea, but there's no chocolate or tea for these women.'

Other agencies agreed that all was not equal when it came to tinned food, and pointed out their 'wish lists' on social media or websites.

Wellington's Downtown Community Mission office coordinator Matthew Mawker said: 'I wouldn't rubbish tomatoes altogether, but there are more helpful things to give.'

Tinned fish was always appreciated, as were hearty tinned stews and fruit: 'Something a bit sweet is nice.'

Cans with tear-tabs were particularly useful for people who were rough sleeping, and biscuits and crackers went down a treat.

'Something Christmassy never goes amiss either.'

When it came to helpful donations, Mawker said it was easy: 'Socks, toothbrushes, disposable razors – all the boring things.'

Salvation Army Major Lee Edney was more charitable when it came to tomatoes, and said everything was good in moderation.

'We'd hate to have a food bank full of tinned tomatoes, but they can be useful.'

The organisation received a 'reasonable amount' of the item, and she agreed with Clark that not everybody knew how to use them.

Tins of fruit and vegetables, nappies and sanitary items were popular, as were things that could be used for children's lunches.

'Of course it's Christmas, so including something special is always good.'

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