Half a million loaves of bread for Kiwis in need

Food company Goodman Fielder this week delivered its 500,000th loaf of bread to Salvation Army food banks – enough bread to stretch from Wellington to Bulls if laid end-to-end.

The Goodman Fielder Cares Trust, backed by Goodman Fielder and its staff, has been providing bread baked specifically for 10 Army food banks in Wellington, Motueka, Christchurch, Dunedin, Whangarei, Auckland and Hamilton for more than six years.

Salvation Army National Secretary for Social Services Pamela Waugh says Goodman Fielder's weekly fresh bread donations have eased some of the pressure of procuring food for around 55,000 food parcels a year.

“Meeting this level of demand can be very difficult so it’s immensely reassuring for our staff to know that a substantial part of our clients’ need is met each week through Goodman Fielder Cares Trust’s bread donations,” she says. “Importantly, fresh bread is greatly appreciated by our clients.”

Chairman of Goodman Fielder Cares Trust Ian Fraser says the bread donation programme was established in 2006 and now donates 150,000 loaves annually to food banks around the country.

“Through partnerships with organisations like The Salvation Army we aim to help New Zealanders in poverty through the donation of food and other resources,” he says.

The Trust is supported by Goodman Fielder NZ Ltd and its employees through a variety of initiatives including a workplace giving programme, a community service scheme and the bread donation programme.

Major Waugh says the Goodman Fielder’s long standing and substantial support has provided a degree of certainty in the provision of emergency food aid.

Food parcels are an important tool in helping clients move on from difficult periods in their lives and regaining their independence. The portion of the family budget that would normally be spent on food can be redirected to paying debt or dealing with unexpected costs such as school or medical fess.

The Salvation Army marked the half millionth loaf of bread by hosting Mr Fraser at its Community Ministries centre in Lower Hutt this week.

See how Goodman Fielder's practical contribution helps so many people: