Countdown and The Salvation Army are once again working together this festive season to help make sure all Kiwis can share a meal with their loved ones this Christmas.
Over the past 10 years, Countdown and The Salvation Army, together with generous customers, have been able to help provide thousands of Christmas food parcels, filled to the brim with the essentials all Kiwis deserve, in order to celebrate what can be a challenging time of year for families.
Countdown’s Managing Director Spencer Sonn says he’s proud that the 20,000 strong Countdown team get behind such a worthy cause every year. “Christmas is a special time for all of us around Aotearoa, and every Kiwi deserves to share in that joy. We know just how much good can come from working together, which is why partnering with The Salvation Army is so important for our business – they do fantastic work to support the most vulnerable in our communities and it’s both a privilege and very humbling for us to be part of that.”
“When we all give together, every piece of small kindness adds up, so anything our customers can give will help more Kiwis enjoy this Christmas to the fullest – whether it’s a special Christmas treat, or a can of fruit, it all makes a difference. To make the donations go further, we’ll also be matching donations up to $200,000.”
Camille Astbury, Territorial Food Security Manager for The Salvation Army, says that any donation will make a difference for Kiwis in need this Christmas.
“The people we see at our foodbanks are doing an incredible job managing with the resources they have however as we approach Christmas and the extra pressure this can add to families, we are looking to the generosity of Countdown and its customers to share some of the joy and festivity they may experience with their own families. “There are two easy ways to give. You can add an extra item to your regular shop and drop it in the donation trolley at the front of your local store or you can go online to The Foodbank Project to donate fresh items that will be delivered to a Salvation Army foodbank in time to be packed into our Christmas hampers.”
The most-needed food items for the Appeal this year are:
• Fresh fruit & veggies
• Roast chickens
• Milk & cream
• Gravy mix
• Stuffing
• Canned fruit
• Christmas treats
Countdown’s Christmas Appeal runs until 11 December, and Countdown is matching donations from the public up to $200,000. Shoppers can donate in-store at specially marked shopping trolleys or online through the Foodbank Project. Countdown supports The Foodbank Project through providing items at cost and delivering The Foodbank Project donations to foodbanks across New Zealand free of charge. Countdown’s ongoing Food Rescue programme donates more than $2million in food each year to foodbank partners, including The Salvation Army.
