Ms Toko set up the group because she knows the hardship of being a teenage mother. She was 17 when she had her first child, a daughter who is about to turn 21.
While she had good family support, she became aware of how difficult life could be for those who did not have strong families to help them.
The Helping Teen Mums Whangarei group provided more than 800 banana boxes full of goods in its first year.
Ms Toko has lost count of the total number of people helped, mainly in the Whangarei area but also as far away as Kaitaia and Hamilton.
She said it has been a community effort, with donations and assistance provided by friends and neighbours as well as her own family.
Ms Toko said she could not have done it without the help of friends Jan Butler and Heather Morrison, and there are five drop-off points in the community where goods are donated.
She also credits the group with helping her find her vocation in life. She decided to become a social worker after realising financial assistance was only the starting point for many young mothers.
"I wanted it to be a support system for teen mums, rather than just giving them items. That is just a temporary band-aid, but many of them need more support. It made me want to study social services, and my study journey has been amazing.
''My life experience and my study experience have complemented my professional practice. It's all about community too; I have really found my niche, where I would like to be."
Ms Toko works part time at 155 Community House. She was nominated for a 2015 New Zealand Pride award in the Community Spirit category.