New World Masterton owner Clive Webber has thrown down a challenge. PHOTO/FILE
GIANINA SCHWANECKE
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Wairarapa supermarkets are doing their bit to support the Masterton Foodbank, with offers to match in-store donations up to $10,000 this week.
Masterton New World owner Clive Webber said the supermarket was already very involved with Waiwaste Food Rescue and the foodbank and so understood the important role they played in the community.
“We’ve never been through something like covid-19 before.
“They have been making up record numbers of food parcels.
“Lyn [Tankersley] and her team have done our town proud in stepping up to supply this increased demand.”
He said the Masterton Foodbank Customer Challenge was born from a group of staff who had approached him, asking how they could help the foodbank.
They settled on matching every item donated to the foodbank by staff and have been doing so since last week until they decided to extend the challenge to customers as well.
“We thought, let’s get bigger,” Webber said.
For each item customers placed in the Foodbank bin at New World Masterton, they will match up to $10,000.
He said their customers were “unbelievably generous” and it was one way to support the community which looked after them.
“It’s an opportunity to pull together and make sure that the foodbank is flowing.”
Pak’nSave Masterton had also accepted the challenge and agreed to match customer donations at their supermarket.
Masterton Foodbank co-ordinator Lyn Tankersley said words could not express “how amazing” it was that the supermarkets had come on board with the challenge.
“It’s absolutely fantastic at a time when we need it most. I know the good people of Masterton will get behind it.”
Demand was three-fold and supply had almost run out, but she said people’s hearts had been so full over the past few weeks and the foodbank was very appreciative of the community’s support.
The challenge will run through until Sunday.
