Next week there’s an opportunity to spread a little early Christmas cheer as Te Puke’s annual emergency services street appeal takes place. But please, don’t have rice on your gift list.

The food drive collects donations for the local foodbank, run by The Hub Te Puke.

Manager Clare Cooper said the foodbank is well stocked with rice but there were other things that were always in demand. That included food and non-food items such as toiletries and toilet paper.

With an eye on the upcoming Christmas demand for food parcels, she said donations of jellies, custard powder, tinned fruit, chocolate, chips and Christmas treats were also welcome. During December, volunteers at the foodbank put together the food parcels that would be distributed just before Christmas.

‘Through the roof’

Cooper said demand for the foodbank services had continued to rise in 2025.

“The need this year has increased, it’s gone through the roof – there are more hard-working families [asking for help] and our first-time users are up at least 25%, probably more.”

In September, The Hub foodbank reached 169 local households and distributed 12,240 meals, equating to $38,700 worth of distributed food. Cooper said the annual street appeal highlighted the generosity of the Te Puke community.

“We can only support our community because the community supports us,” Cooper said.

“I continue to say that if I’m going to be struggling, then Te Puke’s the place to be doing it because we’ve got such an amazing community – and we can only do what we do because our community gets behind us. We are very, very grateful.”

November 13

The food drive will take place on November 13 from 6pm. It used to be in December but was brought forward to give volunteers more time to get through sorting the donations.

“By the first week of December people are under pressure themselves with their own budgets,” said Cooper.

As well as Te Puke Volunteer Fire Brigade, police and Hato Hone St John, those participating in the food drive included Ministry for Primary Industries staff, Te Puke High School students who were part of the Graeme Dingle Foundation’s Project K programme, and community patrol members.

They would meet at Te Puke Fire Station on the afternoon of November 13 and set off around town at 6pm.