Noelle Tito, 10, is bringing her Friendship Festival back to Tauranga after a successful debut last year. The festival helps raise food and money for the Tauranga Community Foodbank.
A plucky 9-year-old girl who last year organised a Friendship Festival to bring people together and collect food for Tauranga's less fortunate is bringing the event back this weekend. Noelle Tito, now 10, said even though she was young "I can still do things".
"Even though things might be small, you can change the world," she said.
Noelle came up with the idea for the Friendship Festival because "I don't want people to be lonely or not have any friends".
The festival is a coming together of the community for fun and to help those in need. Each person is asked to bring along a food item to donate to the Tauranga Community Foodbank. Already there is a donated food hamper sitting on Noelle's kitchen bench.
"We just ask people to donate food, money, or their time," Noelle said.
The Pyes Pa youngster has gained some support from businesses to help cover things such as a Mr Whippy truck, bouncy castle, face-painting and a prize draw, but the festival is free for attendees.
She has this awareness that little things she does can have a big impact.
Last year, the festival brought 108 people from different walks of life together. This year, Noelle aims for about 150 people. And she knows exactly who because she personally handed out the invites around her neighbourhood and school. She said this was important because if people didn't know anyone when they arrived, they at least knew her because they had already met.
"Sometimes people are lonely because they move to a new city or their loved one died. At the festival, they can make new friends and not be lonely. And lots of people at this time of year don't have enough money to give their family food."
The event is invite only at a private location, for now.
Noelle Tito, 10, has organised her second Friendship Festival to be held this weekend as a way to bring people together and help the Tauranga Community Foodbank. Photo / George Novak
However, Noelle's mother Jen Tito said her young daughter had big plans for the future.
"She has this awareness that the little things she does can have a big impact. Even though she is only 10 and we can't invite thousands of people at this stage, that's her goal."
Tito said Noelle was a person "who thinks very deeply about the world around her, and people".
"She had this idea and she never let go of it. This goal of her's, this festival, just shows she's really determined to what she wants to achieve. It's pretty amazing."
Noelle Tito, 10, has organised her second Friendship Festival to be held this weekend as a way to bring people together and help the Tauranga Community Foodbank. Photo / George Novak
