More than $28,000 worth of food and funds have been donated to the Tauranga Community Foodbank two weeks into the Bay of Plenty Times Christmas Appeal.

That includes about $7600 worth of food, with the 2537 items gifted valued by the foodbank at an average of $3.

The six-week appeal launched on November 9 and aims to help fill the foodbank’s shelves and coffers for the busy holiday period and heading into 2025.

Foodbank general manager Nicki Goodwin said it was positive to see donations coming in at a similar rate to last year’s appeal.

They included significant corporate contributions, such as regular supporter Craig’s Investment Partner’s $3000 donation.

Tauranga Crossing has also stepped on board, contributing as a new donation point and running a Christmas tree grove that launched on November 13.

The centre will donate 20 joyfully decorated trees paired with a $500 Pak’nSave voucher to help families with groceries during the festive season.

How did a foodbank help you? Share your story during our appeal

Tauranga Te Papa Rotary Club is the latest group to throw its support behind the foodbank.

Members will be running a Cash or Cans Appeal for the foodbank on Saturday and Sunday from 10am at the entrance to Woolworths Fraser Cove.

The Cash or Cans Appeal has been running for a few years and kicks off the club's fundraising support for the foodbank this year. Photo / George Novak

This kicks off the club’s fundraising support for the foodbank this year.

As in the past, donations of food items or cash are welcome. All donated goods and cash will go straight to the foodbank.

Simon Ellis, the club’s community director, said all donations were appreciated but essential food items with good nutritional value were preferred.

Key items on the foodbank’s wishlist this year were cereals, Christmas treats, spreads and tinned soup.

Rotarians Lyall Holmes, Keith Owens, and Ron Lander collect cash and cans for Tauranga Community Foodbank.

Drinking chocolate, instant coffee, canned fruit, muesli bars and tinned fish would also be welcomed.

The foodbank supported more than 24,000 people over the past year, up about 9.5% on the past year and including 12,000 children.

NZ Super-reliant households needing support rose 73% to 623 in the year, and Goodwin said more people needed longer-term support.

Kaitlyn Morrell is a multimedia journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has lived in the region for several years and studied journalism at Massey University.

-Bay of Plenty Times.