Presbyterian Support marketing and communications co-ordinator Su Anderson (front), with volunteers from Youth Grow, Presbyterian Support Otago and Contact Energy, is surrounded by cans donated to the Octacan appeal, in the Octagon, Dunedin, yesterday. Photo by Jane Dawber.
While the final tally will be done today, it is thought about 6000 cans were collected for the organisation's foodbank, 2100 of them from schools.
About $1000 was also donated, which would be used to buy more food.
Communications and fundraising director Lisa Wells said the community response had been "amazing".
However, the reality was it would all be gone in about four weeks.
On average, between 6000 and 9000 food items were distributed by the foodbank on a monthly basis as economic pressure forced more people to seek help.
"We need food every day of the year."
It was great people supported the mid-winter and Christmas appeal, but filling stomachs was a regular struggle, she said.
