Emergency lights and sirens will ring out across Mount Maunganui, Pyes Pā and Ōtūmoetai on Tuesday, December 2, as police, fire, ambulance and emergency management crews and volunteers take to the streets for the annual Tauranga Mount Maunganui Emergency Services Foodbank Food Drive.
The event, from 5.30pm to 8pm, enables residents to leave a small bag of groceries by their letterbox, or send children out with supervision, when they hear emergency vehicles approaching.
Organisers are calling for volunteers to run alongside the vehicles collecting donations, as well as people with cars and trailers, utes or small trucks to help transport food. Extra hands are also needed for flyer deliveries in the days leading up to the event.
Anyone keen to help is asked to apply with their email address, fitness level (runner, walker, or loader), and preferred area.
‘Vital for months ahead’
Tauranga Foodbank manager Nicki Goodwin said the food drive reaches far beyond Christmas.
“The emergency services can’t get down every street in every suburb, so if people miss out on collection night, we ask them to drop donations to the libraries at Mount, Pāpāmoa, Tauranga and Greerton, or Tauranga Crossing,” she said.
“It sets Tauranga Foodbank and Salvation Army Community Ministries up for the months ahead. A lot of the shelves are empty at the Salvation Army, so it will really help stock up.”
Goodwin says the two organisations work closely together.
“We’re different services and do different things, but we complement each other. We are solely food-focused, but we help them when we can, and they support us when they can.”
Demand rising
Salvation Army Community Ministries manager Sarah Way said this year’s pressure on families has been “very real”.
“The cost of living and groceries…people are struggling themselves, so donating is hard. We’re seeing people walk through our doors who have never had a food parcel before, and we understand how overwhelming this is for them.”
Salvation Army Community Ministries manager Sarah Way said the food drive is needed for stocking shelves to meet community needs. Photo / David Hall
The food drive also supports the Salvation Army’s Christmas grotto, which will provide festive meals and gifts to about 150 families.
Way said the shelves at the Salvation Army are currently “not well stocked”, and the food drive is “paramount” to meet the need in the community.
“The food drive is life-changing for us to be able to do what we have to do this year. Without it, we would struggle to meet the need.”
More helpers needed
Mount Community Constable Mark Sanders, who has volunteered for the drive for more than 10 years, said around 10 police officers and 40 volunteers from community patrols, Neighbourhood Support, ambulance and fire services will take part.
“More helpers mean we can cover more areas,” he said. “A big thanks to everyone who gives whatever they can. It all helps.”
Back row: Mount Community Constable Mark Sanders with fire fighters Damian Cunniffe, Andrew Woodward, Neil Brown and Steve Opie. Front row: Salvation Army Community Ministries manager Sarah Way, Tauranga Foodbank manager Nicki Goodwin, Fire Emergency New Zealand Service Volunteer Support Office Robert Pinkerton, and Hato Hone St John Ambulance Watch Operations Manager Matt Hunter. Photo / David Hall
True team effort
St John watch operations manager Matt Hunter, coordinating the event for the first time, said the night is a true team effort.
“Ambulance volunteers and staff will be out alongside our colleagues across police and fire. It’s amazing to be part of something that directly helps our local food banks,” Hunter said.
Fire and Emergency NZ volunteer support officer Robert Pinkerton, involved for over a decade, said volunteers from Mount, Greerton and Tauranga stations will once again be on hand to collect food.
If your street is missed on the night, donations can be dropped at Tauranga Foodbank, 9am-2pm, Monday-Friday; and at Tauranga Salvation Army, 9.30am-11.30am and 1pm-2.30pm. The Salvation Army can also arrange donation drop-offs outside these hours.
Libraries at Mount Maunganui, Pāpāmoa, Tauranga and Greerton, plus Tauranga Crossing, also serve as donation points.
The 2025 food drive is supported by Western BOP Neighbourhood Support and Volunteering Services BOP. Volunteers are especially needed in Mount Maunganui, Pyes Pā and Ōtūmoetai on Tuesday December 2. Unsupervised children cannot participate for safety reasons.
To help send your email address, fitness level (runner, walker, trailer loader) and preferred area to: info@wbopns.org.nz
Let’s make this year’s Tauranga Mount Maunganui Emergency Services Food Drive the biggest one yet – and help ensure no whānau goes without!