Help give people what they really want this Christmas

3 December 2012: Countdown’s Food Rescue appeal is back this Christmas, with stores across New Zealand donating more than $80,000 worth of groceries to The Salvation Army, and calling for Kiwis to help do the same.

Donations of much-needed food items can be placed into specially-marked Food Rescue trolleys placed near the front of each of Countdown’s 164 stores throughout December. Signage in each supermarket makes it easy to find the non-perishable items most needed by The Salvation Army, such as pasta, rice, cereal, flour and tea.

Every Countdown supermarket in New Zealand has kick-started the appeal by donating $500 worth of groceries per store. Collection boxes are also located at checkouts for any spare change people may wish to contribute.

“Some families have a constant struggle to meet basic needs such as food, clothing and housing, and with increasing financial hardship affecting a wider cross-section of the population, the need for The Salvation Army’s services this Christmas will be greater than ever before,” says Major Pam Waugh, Salvation Army Secretary for Social Services.

“Through Countdown Food Rescue and your food contributions, we can help ensure that as many people as possible have nutritious food to eat at this tough time of year.”

With more than 55,000 food parcels distributed nationwide by The Salvation Army every year, demand at Christmas picks up significantly. Over 30,000 New Zealand families receive food assistance annually, and the number of people in need of support is expected to reach as many as 13,500 in December alone.

“It’s really the basics that people need the most,” says Major Pam Waugh. “Products such as pasta, rice, and tins of spaghetti or baked beans are core food items included in a food parcels. At Christmas we like to try to add something a little special if at all possible.”

Countdown’s Managing Director, Dave Chambers, says “There are a lot of demands on people at Christmas, and helping somebody out can be as simple as picking up an extra box of WeetBix in your next food shop and putting it in the Food Rescue trolley. A little something will go a long way.”

“If through the Countdown Food Rescue Appeal we can help change Christmas for some people even in a small way, then we’re very humbled to be able to make that difference.”

The Countdown Food Rescue Appeal is part of Countdown’s ongoing initiative to donate food it can no longer sell to charities, such as The Salvation Army, who support New Zealanders in need.

– ENDS –

Notes:
The Salvation Army’s top 10 most needed food items:
1. Pasta
2. Rice
3. Cereal
4. Spaghetti and Baked Beans
5. Canned fruit and vegetables
6. Canned fish and meat
7. Sugar
8. Flour
9. Muesli Bars
10. Tea, coffee, Milo.

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