A Taupō provider has adopted the food distribution currently run by Love Soup Rotorua and with their support has set up service in the Taupō and Tūrangi areas.
Te Korowai Rōpū Tautoko's general manager Cherie Darlington says in five weeks of operation they have seen an increase of people coming in for food.
“A lot of our whānau who come in are struggling. They're struggling in regards to providing for their own and also with kai.”
The initiative is unfunded and modelled after Love Soup in Rotorua, which provides food from their Rotorua base for redistribution in Taupō and Tūrangi.
Te Korowai Tautoko worker Ethel Jones lives in Rotorua and brings kai over every Wednesday.
“I actually drop into Love Soup Rotorua so they awhi us and support us by giving us the kai for Taupō which is actually needed for our community.”
The trust has been providing social services in the Tūwharetoa region for over 25 years.
Since they began five weeks ago, 30-40 families in Taupō and 15-20 families in Tūrangi have been making use of the stores.
“We still haven't touched the core group of whānau that are really whakamā in accessing our services. I don't think we have hit the tip of the iceberg yet so we are purely just touching it really,” says Darlington.
“What I see every Wednesday is that they have a smile, they love coming here because there are no 20/20 questions and they are actually happy that there is food there for them when they need it the most,” says Jones.
Te Korowai Rōpū Tautoko say that more and more families are coming in- leading them to seek more support to cater to those in need.