On behalf of Arana College residents, Millie Shaw hands over food vouchers to the Salvation Army’s manager of Dunedin Community Ministries, Lindsay Andrews, and Foodbank co-ordinator, Melanie Aicken
Arana College students’ contribution to the Salvation Army foodbank could not have been better timed this year.
The Salvation Army’s manager of Dunedin Community Ministries, Lindsay Andrews, says in the first quarter of the year there was a 31% increase in the number of families seeking assistance through the foodbank and a 51% increase in the number of new families.
“For us that was a very alarming statistic.”
Given students are on tight budgets themselves, Auxiliary Captain Andrews says he was grateful for their contribution which was used to purchase essential items the foodbank was low on.
“I’m amazed. A lot of the students are on very tight budgets themselves and here they are giving to their community.
“From my point of view they need to be saluted for the way in which they consider the community in which they live and have put the community in front of themselves.”
Students pleased to assist a ‘good cause’
Assistant Warden at the Otago University residential college Kirsten Bamford says as part of the pastoral care programme, students who are able to can purchase food vouchers to donate to a variety of service organisations in Dunedin.
“They make a contribution and they like that it’s going to a good cause,” Miss Bamford says.
Arana College resident Millie Shaw was one of the students who donated a food voucher throughout the year and says she was pleased to be able to support a valuable service.
From Balclutha, Millie (19) studied health sciences this year and is eagerly awaiting her exam results to see if she can enter medicine next year.
She describes her year at Arana College as a fantastic experience.
“The people just made my year completely; everyone had a great sense of community and got on really well.”
