1000 boxes of food to go to Northland families in need ahead of Christmas

Community members will put together 1000 boxes filled with food to go to families in need, as they are shown doing last year. Photo / John Stone

Boxes filled with items like pasta, rice and other goodies are being packed by volunteers and delivered to Northland families in need ahead of Christmas.

Te Hau Awhiowhio o Ōtangarei Trust, Te Rau Matatini and members from the wider community will again pack 1000 boxes which will go to families nominated by community organisations.

Janine Kaipo, Te Hau Awhiowhio o Ōtangarei Trust operations manager, said in previous years people have mentioned how much they needed the boxes.

"For the kids, if there was no presents, to have a beautiful box come all wrapped up, you don't know what's in it, but just to come to the door and say 'You've been nominated, merry Christmas.' I know from the volunteers they say 'Oh my god, they so needed that.'"

The boxes are provided through Christmas Box which is an initiative of LIFE Community.

Te Hau Awhiowhio o Ōtangarei Trust and Te Rau Matatini raise money throughout the year to receive the boxes and get them to Whangārei.

On Saturday volunteers will pack the boxes - 400 of the ones received by Te Hau Awhiowhio o Ōtangarei Trust will go to families in the Whangārei area, 400 of the ones received by Te Rau Matatini will cover the mid-North area and the remaining 200 are being distributed in the Far North.

The boxes contain items like milk, tea, flour, rice, peanut butter, tinned food, pasta, Weetbix, noodles, coffee and goodies like biscuits.

"Out of it you can still make meals for a day, for Christmas Day. It's food that can be stretched if you've got a bit of meat you can pop that with that, and that with that, and you've got a meal," she said.

This year Te Hau Awhiowhio o Ōtangarei Trust are also working with marae to ensure rural families don't miss out.

"Through the years I've realised that the rural areas don't have the resources that we do in the city. Families can get things in the city but in the rural areas they can't rock up to any of the services."

The boxes will be packed at City Rugby from 8am. Kaipo asked anyone who wanted to volunteer to call her first on 09 437 0908.