Cans to be collected throughout South Canterbury for food drive

Wednesday, 18 September 2024

Evelyn Lyne, left, and Amber Yerbury prepare for the South Canterbury Food Drive collecting cans for Presbyterian Support South Canterbury.

As the cost of living crisis continues, workplaces and schools in South Canterbury are getting behind an initiative to help stock the shelves of a busy food bank.

To tie in with South Canterbury Weekend, the region’s Presbyterian Support Family Works Food Drive for the food bank is taking place this week and next.

During the food drive, those taking part are asked to collect cans to be donated to the organisation, with people encouraged to think of different ways of going about collecting the items, such as dressing up in the region’s colours of green and black, or hosting a bake sale and paying for the items with cans.

Presbyterian Support South Canterbury marketing and fundraising manager Leola Wilson said it gave out nearly 2000 food parcels to these in need in the community last year.

“We anticipate that number will be far larger within this financial year,’’ Wilson said.

Evelyn Lyne, Amber Yerbury, and Cindy Lewis and Katy Houstoun, under the table, with some of the school’s collection for the South Canterbury Food Drive for Presbyterian Support South Canterbury Family Works.

She was at Timaru Girls’ High School on Tuesday afternoon where the school was taking part in the drive and said it was encouraging to see the community taking part in the inaugural collection.

Wilson said while the initiative had been a long-held desire of the organisation’s chief executive Carolyn Cooper, it had also been organised given the demand on the food bank.

“The food bank is crying out for things,’’ she said.

“It’s really tough out there at the moment and people are feeling the pinch with everything going on.’’

Leola Wilson, left, and Shaelii Mckenzie with food donated during the Family Works Christmas Food Bank Fill Up last December.

She said Fairlie Early Learners, Timaru Girls’ High School, Hubbard Churcher Timaru, and Todd Mudie Group were among those taking part.

And those taking part would go in the draw to win a prize - for workplaces a morning tea shout, and for early childhood centres and schools, three hours use of the Y Central South Island’s pop-up activities and trailer.

“We’re hoping it will be an annual thing,’’ Wilson said.

Items to donate include cans or jars of fruit, tomatoes, pasta sauce, as well as rice, pasta, noodles, breakfast cereals and rolled oats.

Those wanting to take part in the can food drive have until September 27 to register by emailing: marketing@pssc.org.nz.