People working in the Invercargill CBD now have somewhere to donate items for the Southland Foodbank thanks to a collaborative effort between SBS Bank and Healthy Families Invercargill.

A foodbank donation basket has been placed in the SBS foyer, after the bank was connected with the foodbank by Healthy Families Invercargill as part of its involvement with community organisations working on solutions to food vulnerability.

Healthy Families Invercargill manager Jared Cappie said when SBS Bank was approached by Healthy Families Invercargill staff, they were immediately keen to be involved.

The bank was selected because of its community-based approach.

“Linking with a very community-minded organisation like SBS Bank is fantastic, because they really care about and want to help the Southland community,” he said.

Not only does having the foodbank basket in the CBD make it easier for people working in the CBD to donate to the Foodbank, it also helps raise awareness for the Southland Foodbank, Cappie said.

“Taking a collaborative approach means the initiative is driven by the community for the community,” Cappie said.

SBS Group CEO Shaun Drylie said the customer-owned bank was heavily involved in local community activities on a day-to-day basis.

“Many of our sponsorship efforts are focused on supporting such organisations where we can really make a difference in our communities. This often involves partnering with other local organisations such as Healthy Families Invercargill to identify those areas where we can help the most.”

The basket is for non-perishable food items only.

However, the Foodbank also needs perishable foods, such as fruit and vegetables. Anyone who wants to donate perishable foods should get in contact with the Foodbank on (03) 218 6620.

Article added: Tuesday 20 November 2018