WBS proud to be supporting local foodbanks

Piers Fuller Reporter from News of Wairarapa

Our local food banks do a fantastic job in helping those in need across our communities.
Already under pressure to meet the demand for their services, all our local food banks have seen an increased need for food parcels during COVID-19.
Recognising a genuine need, and given the alignment with our commitment to supporting our local communities, WBS launched an initiative to donate a car-load of groceries and other essential items to each of the community based food banks that operate across the Wairarapa.
Now more than ever, our communities need extra help, and this is just one of the ways that WBS continues to support and give back to the region that we’ve called home for nearly 150 years.
Our region is fortunate to have food banks in each of our major towns, with food banks located in Masterton, Carterton, Greytown, Featherston and Martinborough. Collectively they supply food for literally hundreds of people across the Wairarapa region. The impacts of COVID-19 have only increased the need for their services and all the food banks and the fantastic volunteers who run them worked tirelessly to keep up with the increased demand during this period. For example, Martinborough alone saw an increase of over 300% for food parcels during Alert Level 4. Being able to scale up and respond to changes in community needs is vital and its why WBS was so pleased to be able to play a role in helping to assist our food banks.