NZ’s first online foodbank available nationwide

NZ’s first online foodbank available nationwide

15 December 2015: Countdown has teamed up with The Salvation Army and web developer – Lucid to create and launch New Zealand’s first online foodbank.

The Foodbank Project is a not-for-profit online grocery store that enables food to be quickly, easily and securely donated online to fill Salvation Army food parcels.

Following a successful three-month pilot that began in September in Auckland, the project is now being rolled out nationally to benefit Salvation Army foodbanks in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin.

Countdown, who is involved in the project on a not-for-profit basis, delivers the donated items to the nearest participating Salvation Army food bank through their online shopping network.

In the year to September, The Salvation Army distributed almost 54,000 food parcels, a 7.6 per cent increase on the previous year.

“Meeting this level of demand always proves to be a tough challenge but The Foodbank Project looks set to make a significant contribution,” says The Salvation Army’s head of social services Major Pam Waugh.

Countdown’s acting Managing Director, Pat McEntee says “This is an innovative extension of our Food Rescue Programme, which has been running for five years and last year saw us donate more than $3.5m of food to food banks throughout New Zealand.

“It’s great that we can launch this exciting project nationally during our annual Food Rescue Appeal. We’re hopeful that this will become another way for kiwis to help families in need,” Mr McEntee says.

People can visit www.foodbank.org.nz , select from a list of the most-needed grocery items or and make a donation to cover the cost of a whole bundle. Donations can be made as a one off, or for those wanting to give more, be set up as a recurring purchase.

The most donated items so far are canned diced tomatoes, followed by pasta sauce, baked beans and pasta.

Each Christmas Countdown encourages shoppers to make a food donation in-store, or a donation at the checkout as part the annual Food Rescue Appeal.

All 183 Countdown stores will also donate $500 of groceries to their local Salvation Army centre, contributing more than $90,000 of groceries to The Salvation Army’s foodbanks nationally.

ENDS

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