How did the Community Focus Trust in Christchurch help address food and social needs during the COVID-19 lockdown?
Our Story, as told by the Community Focus Trust - What We Did
As a Community Development organisation, we started to see the need within our community, for those who were unable to leave their homes to get essential food supplies.
We run a weekly fruit and vege Co-op social enterprise, as part of our focus, so we saw that this was one area we could help those in need.
Working with our contacts in our community and other community groups, we established that as an essential service provider, we could get produce boxes out to families and those who could not leave their homes, due to anxiety or other health issues.
We are working with the following organisations: Shirley Community Trust, Northgate Community Services Trust, Te Ora Hou Otautahi, The Neighbourhood Trust and Rotary New Horizons.
Not just fruit and veggies but social connection: COVID-19 lockdown saw the rise in food needs in the Christchurch community but also social contact in this period of isolation. Community Focus Trust saw a need to help with both.
After establishing what the needs were, working with Foodtogether & MG Marketing, we arranged pre-boxed produce, at their secure location to be packed and then arranged the deliveries to individual non-contact home drop-offs and also to community groups, who could also deliver in this way.
During this time we have delivered over 400 produce boxes throughout the Christchurch community, connecting with these families and individuals in a non-contact way, but also making sure through phone-calls, to see how they are coping during this time.
Getting this '5+A Day' essential produce box into these homes, is just a part of our connection with our community during COVID-19. Our produce box deliveries made sure that this essential food need was directed to those who were at the greatest need during this time.
What Was The Impact
The main impact of this initiative was that we saw families and individuals getting not only essential food into their homes, but that they had some connection and could share what they were going through, which helped their overall well-being.
This impact was seen especially during the Level 4 lockdown, as many could not leave their homes or for those alone, this was their only connection during this time.
We received many comments and feedback from this service, as those impacted by what we did, sharing that this made them feel grateful for what others were doing, to help not just them but the wider community.
The impact from this initiative will have a long term effect, as we come out of COVID-19, these connections will then continue with not only our community organisation, but those in their own areas, giving them somewhere to go, to build and be part of a wider community.
This will bring the community together and be part of the longer term focus and wellbeing within our organisation.
We have seen the initial benefits of this initiative through these contacts we have made, which will have a lasting effect.
These are some comments back from those we have helped with this initiative:
"Very efficient, well boxed, fresh, great amount and variety."
"A wonderful blessing and support for a struggling solo mum."
"Great boxes enabled households to afford other groceries."
"Great help and a real treat."
"Very thoughtful, fantastic ideas, kids love it."
"Very grateful, as medical conditions make getting to the supermarket difficult."
"No words to describe the appreciation. Veges fresh, delivery people had a smile, has really helped my whanau."
Where To From Here...
I see this becoming part of our operations, but working together with those groups we are supplying and forming a sustainable food distribution that will include staple food items, offering more of an essential grocery box.
This has been a journey as we work together and our story will continue as we “Focus On The Needs”.