Trust grant funds new facilities at Foodbank as team meet demand

• Author: Alyssa Smith
• Published date: 24 May 2023
• Publication title: Stratford Press

Eltham Community Care Foodbank received $16,681.80 to fund new lighting, electrical plugs and to upgrade the kitchen

Treasurer and co-ordinator Marilyne Gernhofer says the facility’s previous kitchen was built in October 1960.

“It hadn’t been updated since then. We have two lovely volunteers who break up our bulk supplies into smaller ones for the parcels.

“We didn’t have enough storage or space to operate as efficiently as we could and everything was crammed. We now have a new bench, plenty of storage space and, thanks to Fonterra, a double-door chiller for chilled goods. We’re very appreciative of what we’ve been given,” she says.

The organisation used local businesses for the upgrade.

“Eltham Building Supplies built our new kitchen and, funnily enough, they are the same company that built the kitchen all those years ago.

“We used Central Taranaki Electrical and Savvy Gas Limited.”

Marilyne is one of the founding members of the foodbank.

“The foodbank started in the early 1990s.

“We also set up a second-hand shop to fund the foodbank and to donate a percentage to help local community projects.

“Twelve years ago, we started E Kai Garden so we can give those in need fresh produce in their parcels.”

She says the...