During this lockdown period, Waahi Pā in Huntly has stepped up to provide for their community.
The marae established the distribution hub at the beginning of the New Zealand lockdown and they have delivered over 900 parcels to the vulnerable and to those in need.
Huirama Matatahi (Waikato, Ngāti Mahuta) who is one of the leaders of this initiative says there were two key reasons why they decided to establish this hub.
One was to find a way for the younger generation of the marae to care for their elders.
The second stems from the decision the Māori King, King Tuheitia Paki, made to cancel the annual Poukai gatherings until further notice due to COVID-19.
Therefore Matatahi and his team decided to use the principles of the Poukai and incorporate them into the work they are doing to care for their community.
"I've established this jewel to help the orphaned, the widowed and the underprivileged. A wide door has opened to a pond of people and a pond of food", that is what King Tawhiao said when he established the Poukai and that is one of the main reasons we established this initiative," says Matatahi.
This is also an initiative that has been mostly led by the youth of Waahi Pā.
Rangimarie Mahuta (Waikato, Ngāti Mahanga) says, "They've established a distribution hub here at Waahi Pā and have reached out to companies across the country as well as the iwi here in Waikato."
Matatahi adds, "It's our love and appreciation we have for our elders that sit at the top of our thoughts while doing this work."
Since the beginning of the lockdown these rangatahi have not only been delivering essential products, but they have also delivered joy and laughter to peoples homes.
"It's not just food they are delivering. They also go and entertain families in their homes. I've seen them on social media lifting the spirits of those living here in our community of Huntly," says Mahuta.
Despite the minimal funding this group has received to carry out such a big initiative, it hasn't affected the output from this distribution hub.
"The largest sum of the heart is the token of love and that is why we are doing what we are doing," says Matatahi.
Matatahi also says this is something the marae are looking into for the long run.
"f its good for this community, if it's good for Māoridom then it's good for the whole of New Zealand."
Due to the high demand of these packs, Waahi Pā will be establishing their own distribution hub to continue catering to their community's needs.