AUKLAND, NZ (CelebrityAccess) – New Zealand’s largest indoor stadium, Spark Arena, has been transformed into a foodbank to help those struggling to access food during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Auckland Council has reportedly received 3,000 requests for help since announcing last week that it would be providing emergency food parcels on behalf of the Government.
“We’re all in this crisis together and we certainly don’t want to see parents that can’t afford to put food on the table for their kids,” Aukland’s Mayor Phil Goff said in a statement. “In particular we are trying to reach out to those who have suffered job losses because of the lockdown, to tide them over until their applications for income support are processed by state agencies. We are also assisting groups such as the elderly and the disabled, who are unable to access supermarkets. This is a practical expression of our commitment to help each other as we work through the crisis that our country faces. We are all in this together.”
Anyone who is unable to go to a supermarket, or is suffering financial hardship as a result of the pandemic, is eligible for the food parcels, which are currently being couriered to people’s homes. The New Zealand Government is covering the cost of the food, while Auckland Council is operating the contact center to respond to calls and coordinating the supply, packaging and delivery of food.
