Good Neighbour Update

Posted by rick peers

GETTING THROUGH TOGETHER

They say it takes a village to raise a child – It also takes Charities like Good Neighbour to look after a community during situations like the one we’re all currently going through together.

During the month of March and April, our Food Rescue team has continued to support Local Organisations and Charities still operating and collected 34 tons of rescued food from twelve supermarkets and bulk food from our commercial suppliers. We know there are many people struggling financially, which puts extra pressure on families and looking after everyone’s welfare is a key priority for our team. We hope you enjoy our newsletter and read what we have been up to lately

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Kia ora,

Over the past few months we have been undergoing a lot of change and we are delighted to announce that we have appointed Simone Gibson as our new General Manager. She started the week of the nationwide lockdown so it has been a baptism of fire! We also started our new and first government contract with MSD called the GAP programme helping whānau in need – and as part of the programme we welcome Karena Vincent and Lynnette Van Nes to the team that Cam is heading up. We would also like to welcome Trish Rae. Trish is going to be heading up the Grants and Funding role. This has been a crazy month for the Good Neighbour team stepping up as an essential service to help whānau in need across Tauranga Moana.

We would like to thank the team who have been putting in some long hours with few volunteers or helpers (we are limited to having a maximum of 5 people on site helping) including the Drivers, Sorters and Packers and Admin co-ordination teams. Also, a special thanks to the kitchen chefs who have been pumping out thousands of tasty meals with no voluntary help (not allowed) for the vulnerable in our community. You have all done an amazing job!

We look forward to our journey with the Community and Good Neighbour returning to the new normal, perhaps with a touch of old and trusted community values and we trust and pray that you and your whānau are keeping safe and well.

Kia kaha!

GENERAL MANAGER
Simone Gibson

Starting right on lock down I did wonder if we would even be able to continue the great work we do or if I would start my new job with a four week holiday – it’s been no holiday! My first three weeks have flown by and no two days have been the same.

There have been enormous amounts of work going on behind the scenes collaborating with Local Charities, EOC, Civil Defence, MSD, Staff and Volunteers. All working together to provide essentials from Good Neighbour to the vulnerable and at risk groups in our local community.

I have come to Good Neighbour after 14 years with a local manufacturing company, Kliptank. I have a passion to see growth and success for organisations and the people within them. We have already started planning how we can grow current areas, what new initiatives might be in the wings and the role good systems and procedures play in the success of everything we do.

I am excited to be a part of the Good Neighbour team now and in the future after lock down. The amazing Staff and Volunteers are passionate about their roles and seeing our communities transformed – thank you for all your hard work through this challenging time!

I look forward to meeting many more of you and the wider Good Neighbour family in the future. Please feel free to contact me if you have anything you would like to ask or discuss.

FOOD RESCUE

This month has seen Food Rescue operations having to adapt to the current situation. We have been coordinating with local charities and organisations who are supporting the “At risk” groups in our community. This has been challenging time for our team who have stepped up to operate with minimal volunteers in the shed at any one time. They have done an extraordinary job of keeping the food flowing out to those in need. During the month of March we received 34 Tonnes of food in and redistributed all of that out into the community.

Thanks to everyone for all your help!

PROJECTS

Todd and his key volunteers have temporarily moved across to help the Food Rescue team during the lock down. They are looking after the Drivers, Supermarkets and bulk incoming food. Todd has also made a cooling bin for Ice for the Kitchen team so they can cool down their food quickly for the chiller once its cooked.

Great work team and kiwi ingenuity!

GARDENS

We would like to thank one of our key gardens volunteers for the wonderful donation of seeds. These have been planted, and are sitting in a warm spot on the kitchen bench at Ena’s home. They will be warmly received at the gardens once we are allowed back.

The Gardens are still putting up a beautiful display of colour and life, a much enjoyed view for the locals walking by and a reminder of things to look forward to and community at its best.

FIREWOOD

Our firewood team have been working hard to deliver firewood for the referrals we have had come in so far. It’s going to be a particularly hard winter for a lot of families this year with reduced incomes and job losses on the horizon and we are proud to have over 200 cubes of Firewood ready to deliver and keep families warm this season.

Special thanks to Chris Bussenschutt and his family from Pacific Toyota for delivering wood over the lockdown. We have had to do things differently with not being able to have our usual firewood days to keep our social distancing rules adhered to.

Well done everyone.

KITCHEN

Lee and James have been operating as a lone duo in the kitchen since lockdown. Over 11,000 meals have gone out into the community during March all made with rescued food.

There is a growing need to support the community with these kinds of meals that make the most out of the food coming in. A newly vulnerable group will emerge from the community due to Covid 19 and our team is proud to help meet this need and collaborate with community partners to support needs.

Well done guys.

GN CARE TEAM

A story of “Good Neighbour”

When it was recommended to us that a certain family would need help we made up a care box and went to deliver it. The surprised family were very appreciative but said that help had already come for them via another way. We were stumped for just a moment when they themselves thoughtfully suggested that further down their driveway was a family in more need than themselves. Hollering out from a safe distance we got the family’s attention. Incredibly we found that through no fault of his own the single dad had no job and had been very sick for the past fortnight! He had just been sitting there wondering what to do when … some Good Neighbours came to his door. Overwhelmed with the generosity and with the amazing timing the dad said to me “you have made my day!” That YOU is not just me … it’s his own neighbours, it’s the Food Rescue team here at Good Neighbour, it’s the supermarkets … it’s US New Zealanders thinking and caring for each other at such a time as this. What a privilege to be a part of that moment.

If you need help or support, you can call the welfare team on: 0800 884 222 or email the Good Neighbour Care team at Gncare@goodneighbour.co.nz

WAYS TO SUPPORT GOOD NEIGHBOUR

For Good Neighbour to continue to support the community, we need your support please to help with operating costs. You can donate a couple of ways.

Website – www.goodneighbour.co.nz – donate
Give a little – https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/good-neighbours-covid-19-appeal

or our account details are as follows:-

Bank A/c details:   Good Neighbour Aotearoa Trust
Bank A/c:  02 0466 0313842 00
Reference:  Your Name
Particulars:  Donation

Good Neighbour is a registered charity CC49198, so if you would like to get your donation receipt please email office: [email protected]co.nz with your contact details.

THANK YOU FOR HELPING US MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

MEDIA & COMMUNICATION

Contact person: Ena