Rotary Invercargill North thrilled to have been a catalyst for providing the new cooler.

Article provided by PE David Boniface, Rotary club of Invercargill North, supported with information from article by Maxine Jacobs published in the Southland Times.

The storage of perishable goods such as fruits and vegetables had been an ongoing challenge for Southland Foodbank. Rotary Invercargill North is thrilled to have been a catalyst for providing a new walk-in cooler to help with the charities work. It satisfies a long standing need which the Foodbank may not have achieved on its own.

The Southland Foodbank Charitable Trust has serviced the community for almost 32 years, currently distributing food to about 8,500 people across the area. Rotary has a long-standing relationship with the Foodbank, helping its volunteers with annual food drives for many years and assisting with staffing when needed.

However, for the Foodbank the storage of perishable goods, such as fruits and vegetables, had been an ongoing challenge with its inventory of food distributed across several aged refrigerators. 

In 2020 the decision was made to replace the refrigerators with a walk-in cooler. The Rotary club of Invercargill North willingly stepped up to assist the Foodbank with this initiative. The $24,000 needed was fund raised through collective efforts. Community funds, including Fonterra in particular, have contributed and the club secured a $3,000 District Grant.

The Club put in place the supply contract and arranged the delivery of the cooler unit.

Involvement in the project has achieved significant kudos for Rotary and its ability to support community needs. A very satisfying outcome achieved for all and a big thank you goes to the Rotary District in supporting this project.

The link to the article published in the Southland:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/300843770/southland-foodbank-se
t-to-chill-as-new-walkin-cooler-unveiled?cid=app-iPhone