Hungry kids. No time to wait.

Gabi used to be a volunteer at our Food Bank. Two years ago she took on the role of Coordinator. This is her first-hand experience of child hunger in North Canterbury, right now.

“You wouldn’t believe the number of kids going hungry. Demand for food parcels from our Food Bank is off the charts. To give you an idea, when I took on the role of Food Bank Coordinator in 2021 I gave out 35 food parcels a month, on average. Last month I gave out 222! That’s real North Canterbury families, struggling to feed their children.

I think there’s sometimes a misunderstanding that people who come to the Food Bank have got there by poor decisions, or don’t want the best for their children. That couldn’t be further from the truth. All of the parents I meet, they just want the best for their kids. Even when both parents are working, the cost-of-living crisis mean they’re struggling to put food on the table.

Families like Brad and Sarah (not their real names). This North Canterbury couple both work full-time. They have three children – one in pre-school, one in primary school and one in their first year of high school. Sarah sobbed as she told me about needing to find an extra $140 a week to cover an increase in their rent. An increase that she said has chewed threw their family food budget.

Sarah’s story isn’t unusual. It’s what I hear from mums and dads, day in, day out. Working parents, doing their best to support their families, being slammed by the incredibly high cost of groceries, housing and fuel.

That’s why I’m asking for your help.

You can provide nourishing food for families and children in need.

Community Wellbeing receives no funding for our Food Bank. We rely on kind-hearted members of our community like you, to help us end hunger, one family at a time.

Please join me in helping North Canterbury families who are going through a tough time.

Please Donate Today.

The family you help could be your neighbours, a work-mate, a family at your school.”

Ngā mihi nui

Gabi Barlow