PSO chief executive Jo O’Neill said the annual appeal, to be held in the Octagon on Thursday, June 22, from 7.30am to 2pm, was also timed around the traditional harvest season of Matariki/Maori New Year.
"Octacan is our ‘harvest’, when we gather and secure food for those in our community who are grappling with the impact of hardship and find they need the support of our Family Works foodbank," Ms O’Neill said.
Since it began in 2009, Octacan has become a popular way for the community to support individuals and whānau who are having to deal with hardship and the cost-of-living crisis. From that first year, when 4000 cans were donated, Octacan has collected more than 150,000 cans of food for distribution to people in need through the foodbank.
"Every year we see incredible generosity and we are calling on the public to dig deep so we can keep our shelves stocked with essential food items as we have no doubt the demand will be extensive as winter sets in," Ms O’Neill said.
PSO social work team leader Jollene Warrington said with the huge rise in people needing help, Octacan was more important than ever.
The goal of the event was to collect 25,000 cans and raise $7000, the most needed items being cans of spaghetti, meat, fish, soup, pasta sauce, tomatoes, baked beans, fruit and tinned vegetables as well as canned meals.
"Any non-perishable foodstuffs that can be combined into a meal are what is needed most," Ms Warrington said.
The Octacan event would have added excitement this year, with a surprise "character" on hand in the Octagon to accept cans of food, sign autographs, and be photographed with the public.
PSO staff and volunteers would also be there to collect the cans and arrange them into Matariki stars.
Ms Warrington said Octacan had already received its first large donation of 1350 cans from Taieri College, and more great support was to come from local schools.
"Many Dunedin schools and early childhood education centres get behind it — the little ones really love coming to the Octagon to place their cans," she said.
The Octacan drive was designed to stock up the Family Works foodbank and help it meet demand through until the annual foodbanks can drive just before Christmas.
"We are hopeful for a really good response — our community needs it."
Financial donations can also be made at www.octacan.org.nz
