Many people don't wish for a lot at Christmas. A well-stocked larder would be a blessing for some, and a huge effort was made in Kaikohe on Saturday to make that a reality for 820 families in the Far North and 860 in the Mid North.
More than 120 volunteers helped fill and despatch the boxes, Terri Cassidy saying Te Rau Ora was the regional partner, and people from numerous community organisations and whānau gave their time to unload, pack and distribute the boxes to families in need.
Boxes were packed in 9 locations around the country this year, from Northland College in Kaikohe to Dunedin. Since 2001 a total of 156,140 boxes have been distributed throughout the country, helping to supplement three daily meals for families of 4 to 6, an estimated total of 787,700 people.
In Kaikohe, 1500 boxes were sponsored by Te Rau Ora, the Life Centre Trust seeking out sponsors for a range of products to put in them, while Mainfreight made sure they got to where they needed to go.
