Despite perceptions of Queenstown being the ‘home of the rich and famous’, almost 800 people here are receiving food support each week.

It’s that reality driving the latest KiwiHarvest campaign, launched at Crowne Plaza Queenstown this week.

KiwiHarvest Queenstown branch manager Gary Hough says their Central Lakes Winter Food Campaign is a big revolving door of locals helping locals — with help from businesses, students, community leaders and volunteers, it’s bringing together ‘‘people across all industries and ages’’ to support and raise awareness of those who need help.

From May through September, trolleys like the one pictured will sit in major supermarkets for the public to fill with non-perishable food items to send to charities including Happiness House, Salvation Army, Te Whare Hauora ki Tāhuna Charitable Trust and Baskets of Blessing.

When each trolley’s filled, up to the 100th, a planter box package will also be donated to someone in the community, providing both immediate relief and longer-term help.

The packages comprise raised planter boxes, made by Naylor Love, self-watering wicking systems, designed and provided by Ecostore, and compost from food scraps put together by ‘Mr Chippy’, Michael Sly.

Students from Liger Leadership Academy are also filming the process, ‘Dr Compost’ Ben Elms is making manuals for the recipients, and
Crowne Plaza’s executive chef Alvaro Morales is creating custom budget recipes for them to use.

It’s on top of the work Dunedin-born KiwiHarvest does to rescue and redistribute food from supermarkets, food producers, and hospo
operators, for example — last year it rescued 120,000 kilograms, or over 340,000 meals for charities across Queenstown, Cromwell and
Wānaka.

Hough, who’s been with the organisation about nine months, says the campaign idea was born out of his shock at the sheer scale of the
need for food in a place like Queenstown, and the fact ‘‘no one’s really talking about it’’.

While a pilot scheme at present, KiwiHarvest will track its course and eventually hopes to expand it for other communities to use.

He notes winter will add even more pressure for many in need, so it’s important for people to know where to get and give help, either through financial or food donations, or volunteering.

‘‘These are extraordinary times.’’

To donate, click here, or for more information to volunteer, click here

[email protected]

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