Southlanders unite to boost food bank stock levels

Tuesday, 3 December 2019

Invercargill streets will be abuzz with groups, businesses and emergency services collecting for the Harcourts Southland Food Bank Drive on Thursday night.

Southland Food Bank Charitable Trust chairman Peter Swain said the non perishable food donated annually by city residents boosted the food bank's stocks hugely. 

'Last year's [collection] kept us going for seven months.

'It takes a week to go through it. We check the dates and anything that's expired is removed.' 

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The new stock is timely as some families are under extra pressure at Christmas. 

Swain and Harcourts Invercargill manager, Wayne Ellis, agreed the generosity of Southlanders was amazing.

'Every year there's huge generosity,' Ellis said. 

His work colleague, Sean Bellew, thought there would be about 160 collectors in at least 80 vehicles, including fire engines, police cars and St John ambulances.

People wanting to donated on Thursday night should put cans and other non perishable food in bags by their letterbox. The drive is on between 6pm and 8pm.

Gore and Mataura are also holding similar collections under the title of Toot 4 Tucker Drive. Non perishables collected will be given to the Salvation Army's Food Bank in Gore.

Gore's drive is on Thursday night, starting at 6pm. Mataura's collection is on December 11.