Toi Ohomai Charity House profits benefit five local charities

Age Concern manager Rory O'Rourke said the money would help buy IT equipment. Photo/Zizi Sparks

Five local charities will be able to run a vehicle to deliver food, buy equipment to help volunteers and save lives thanks to the Toi Ohomai Charity House Project.

St Vincent De Paul, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Age Concern, Kai Rotorua, and the Rotorua Emergency Response Team were all given a share of the $18,000 of profits from the sale of the charity house.

The house was built by students studying carpentry, electrical and interior design at the institute, as well as local tradespeople and suppliers.

The project has been running since 2013.

Age Concern Rotorua was given $5700 for IT equipment and manager Rory O'Rourke said the equipment would help volunteers and elderly clients.

The money would help buy a projector and laptop to train volunteers, and iPads to be used by volunteers.

The five recipients with Toi Ohomai chief executive Leon Fourie (second from right) Photo/Supplied

O'Rourke said the iPads would be used to help those who don't want to go to the supermarket to order their groceries. Volunteers go to elderly people's houses to help them order, then collect the groceries for them.

"It was my first application this year and it was successful so I'm really pleased," O'Rourke said.

"The charity houses themselves are amazing and are well built and the students do a great job they are proud of."

Catherine Phizacklea manages the fulfil can at St Vincent De Paul which is used to distribute food to children in need in Western Heights, Fordlands and Owhata.

The charity was given $1000 towards the cost of running the vehicle.

"I think it's brilliant. The kids we're feeding, I hope will end up here giving back to their community," she said.

"We empower our children to believe there are people in society that love them and they should give back by paying it forward."

The profits distributed were from the Charity House built in 2017 and sold at auction in December. It was moved in March to its permanent foundation in Hamurana.

The house sold for $210,000 and the profits went to the Rotary Club of Rotorua Sunrise which distributed the funds to local charities.

The recipients:
- St Vincent De Paul for vehicle running costs - $1000.
- Big Brothers, Big Sisters for a laptop and phone - $3000.
- Age Concern Rotorua for IT equipment - $5700.
- Kai Rotorua for the removal of a tree - $2000.
- Rotorua Emergency Response Team for equipment - $6300.