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After supporting the Queenstown community for five years, food rescue charity KiwiHarvest needs the favour returned.
Established by Queenstown Lakes District councillor Esther Whitehead in 2018, the Queenstown branch of the national charity is on borrowed time after its government funding was slashed earlier this month.
KiwiHarvest picks up excess food, including fresh produce, from across the Queenstown-Lakes and Central Otago, and redistributes it to those most in need, working with support services across the Wakatipu.
Queenstown branch manager Gary Hough said 120,000kg of food — which equated to 340,000 meals — was diverted from landfill last year.
But about three weeks ago, the government announced it was cutting its national food sector budget by almost 90%, from $11 million to just over $1m and as part of the funding cut the charity can no longer afford the rental price of its property. Continue reading (Subscription required.)
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News category: New Zealand, News Shorts.
