Te Puea Marae has donated their leftover food and household goods to He Korowai Trust in the far north. The distribution of the goods by 14 local organisations began in Kaitaia this morning.
Trust spokesperson Hare Te Wehi says they will be given to families most in need.
“You know it’s just an honour, He Korowai have done such beautiful mahi in regards to supporting our families out there. At the end of the day, it’s going to be families that benefit from the gifts that were given and the koha that were given by Te Puea Marae.”
Fourteen social services in the far north have banded together to create a credible distribution network for the goods.
Local resident Ricky Haughton says, “This kaupapa is all about the legacy of Princess Te Puea and how her legacy lives on. That out of all the places that they could have given their donated goods they thought of us here in Muriwhenua and the community are very grateful.”
This morning this garage was full of donated goods and that's brought services from across the district together to ensure the goods are distributed to families in need. Next week they will look to distribute the food that's been donated by Te Puea Marae.
Another tangible benefit to come from the distribution is the cohesion of a wide range of services for the good of the people.
Haughton says, “This is about a community that’s come together for a kaupapa to feed the people in a credible meaningful way. It’s about an opportunity to show what they can do when they make those most at need a priority.”