2022 Support My Cause recipient: Bellyful West Auckland

An employee at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners New Zealand (CCEP NZ) has nominated Bellyful West Auckland to receive a $10,000 donation through the company’s new community funding programme, Support My Cause.

Bellyful is a volunteer-powered charity which cooks and delivers free, yummy meals to whānau, with babies or young children, who need support.

West Auckland Bellyful Branch Coordinator, Tracy Cox, said the donation from CCEP NZ would be instrumental in supporting the work they do for the community, ensuring that those who need support the most are receiving it.

“We were blown away to learn of Richard’s nomination and the donation from CCEP NZ through the Support My Cause programme. Every dollar will be going directly back into the community to help fill hungry bellies of those families with new babies and young kiddies in need of our help.”

CCEP NZ’s community funding programme, Support My Cause, is an employee-led initiative which gives all employees the opportunity to nominate a charity that is meaningful to them. The shortlist goes to an employee vote with the chosen charities receiving $10,000 each.

Employees are encouraged to nominate a charity that is close to their heart. Customer Business Manager, Richard Davis, nominated Bellyful after seeing first-hand the incredible work the team of volunteers do, including his wife who volunteers at the West Auckland branch.

“I know how hard the volunteers work and the struggle to gain sponsorship and funding to help the increasing number of people in need in our community. I've witnessed the pure delight and gratefulness from the people that Bellyful has supported in their time of need,” says Davis

“The phone call to the Bellyful team to inform them of the donation was one of the highlights of my 15 years with the business. CCEP NZ supports the community in many ways, and this new programme enables us, as employees, to support charities of our choice at a local grass-roots level, enabling charities, like Bellyful, to continue delivering important work in the community”.

Bellyful West Auckland is one of 25 branches throughout New Zealand helping families in need of support. They do this by cooking and delivering free meals for the family that are nutritious and easy to heat.

Bellyful produces 190-250 meals each month which usually cost in the vicinity of $800-$1000 per month to produce just in ingredients. Bellyful West Auckland has seen a massive increase in request for their services, and at times has struggled to keep up with demand which has put a strain on finances.

Cox said Bellyful’s biggest expense is the ingredients and packaging for the delicious meals made by the Bellyful West Auckland volunteers and is always grateful for financial or ingredient donations as well as willing volunteers to help with food deliveries and the monthly Cookathon.

Click here to learn more about how you can support your local Bellyful branch.