Boys' School visit Foodbank

So often our boys may take part in fundraising events such as mufti days to raise money for a worthy cause without ever really seeing the outcome of their goodwill. With our food collections, it is now slightly different. Over the course of the year, our Year 8 tutor groups each have the opportunity to see first-hand the importance of their contribution when they visit the Presbyterian Foodbank as part of their service class and our on-going commitment to serve the community.

Presbyterian Support Northern operates a Foodbank located at St David’s Presbyterian Church in Grafton to distribute emergency food parcels to individuals and families in need in the Auckland region. Sadly, the need is great in our city and food parcels are distributed to thousands of families each year. Each family can be supplied food for four days no more than twice a year if they have run into financial difficulty. At the same time they are given budgeting advice. In the last two weeks alone, 180 food parcels have been delivered, all supplied through the donation of goods such as ours or from businesses, or funds raised to purchase food items. Saint Kentigern has been a long-time supporter of this cause with food being regularly donated from each campus.

Each fortnight, one of our Boys’ School tutor groups visits the Foodbank to take along what has been collected by classes and to see how it is put to use. The boys learn about the service that their donation helps to provide to a sector of the community and then give assistance as required on the day. Today’s students created a chain gang to fill the fridge with a large donation of cottage cheese from Fonterra before unpacking the School’s donated items and stacking them neatly in the correct place. Other groups have helped to make up food parcels from a list of the food requirements for a family of two adults and two children.

At the end of each session, the boys donate some baking to Miles who supervises the Foodbank for all the good work he does. Miles then tells them what their latest collection needs are. Last time it was cereal but this time he said that donations of dry pasta would be really helpful.

By the time the boys leave the centre, they have learned a little more about those whose needs are far greater than their own. On the return journey to school, there is much cause for reflection and the boys are inspired to think of other ways that they could be of service.

If you would like to donate to Presbyterian Support Northern, visit their website: https://northern.ps.org.nz/our-services/foodbank