Media Advisory
1 July 2011

Food Banks to Benefit From Forces Fundraiser

The Auckland City Mission will be one of the many community food banks all around the country which will benefit from the generosity of the NZ Defence Force’s nation-wide drive to collect canned food during July.

The campaign, called Mission Kiwi Can, will involve personnel from the Navy, Army and Air Force, as well as Navy Reserve and Territorial Force units, collecting canned food stuffs for food banks. Mission Kiwi Can starts on 4 July and will conclude on 15 July, when the collected cans will be handed over to the food banks around the country.

Chief of Defence Force, Lieutenant General Rhys Jones, said, “This is the third year we have run Mission Kiwi Can. In the past two years we have donated a total of over 15,340 cans to food banks around the country. This year we are aiming to donate 10,000 cans nationwide which will require a joint effort by all personnel.”

“Our involvement with charities is an important part of Defence, especially where we are able to support charitable organisations in the communities where we are based.”

Auckland City Missioner Diane Robertson said, “The Auckland City Mission has had a long history of support from the armed forces. It is wonderful to see the whole of the New Zealand Defence Force come together to support food banks with Mission Kiwi Can.

“Demand for food relief continues to grow every year. Our food stocks are critically low and we are exploring ways to fund additional staff to help cope with demand. We need both food and financial donations to help thousands of Aucklanders get through the next few months.”

ENDS

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