Auckland community leader David Letele is closing the doors on his South Auckland foodbank, which was providing for up to 1000 families a week.
Letele told the NZ Herald he could no longer sustain the costs of running the foodbank.
Earlier this year he announced the operation would drop about 500 families and had cut stuff due to a lack of funds. .
At its peak, BBM FoodShare cost $1 million a year to run and was providing parcels to 700 families, but Letele said that in full operation it could potentially help 1000 families.
Without Government funding in 2024, the foodbank had to reduce its staff and cut back food supplies to schools and community groups.
The food bank will wind down leading up to Christmas, then close down for good, the NZ Herald reported.
“I had a number of staff but now we only have two fulltime in the food share and relocated others across the organisation, like to the cafe we have opened,” Letele told the Herald.
“I don’t want to lose anyone so I’m looking at where people can go.”
He said it was an “an incredibly hard decision” to make.
- Stuff
