It's that time of year again – get your non-perishable grocery items ready for the annual Emergency Services Foodbank Drive next Tuesday night.

On December 6, more than 30 volunteers from organisations such as Neighbourhood Support and the coastguard will join local emergency services as they hit the streets of Bellevue, The Lakes, the Bayfair end of Mount Maunganui – and out at Katikati.

From 6pm fire engines, ambulances and police vehicles will blare their sirens to alert residents to their presence nearby.

'People can come on out with their goods, or they can just leave them by their mailbox, and we'll collect them,” says St. Johns watch operations manager Miranda Templer.

'We have volunteers walking alongside cars equipped with trailers, and they can take the items.”

All donations go directly to the Tauranga Community Foodbank to distribute. 'This year we'd welcome not only non-perishable food donations, but also grocery goods such as cleaning items, personal care, nappies, pet food, toothpaste and brushes, feminine hygiene products,” says Tauranga Community Foodbank manager Nicki Goodwin.

'These items are very precious to us.”

Every year a different emergency service takes its turn to organise the event, with St. Johns taking the lead this December.

Robert Pinkerton of Fire and Emergency NZ has been involved with the drive for nearly 10 years.

'It's very satisfying receiving so many items, and it's always heart-warming for the people collecting them to see everyone coming out with their donations.”

Robert laughs as he recalls one memorable donation. 'The woman must have worked at a chocolate factory, because she came out with multiple boxes of chocolates!”

All the goods delivered go a long way to helping the foodbank meet community needs, says Nicki. 'It's a huge donation at the end of the day. It's exciting when it gets delivered to our service.”