Builders were on site at the South Auckland-based property this morning; installing bars on the windows and CCTV cameras as well as beefing up security at the premises, overall.
Letele told the Herald the community had rallied to help their cause by donating just over $15,000 by 9.30am.
Giving back to the community
"It just shows how much people really value our work," Letele said.
"The positive thing out of this is that people rally around when there are people to help."
Letele said grocery retailers Foodstuffs had also been in contact to donate food items - none of which would be going into the foodbank until security is beefed up.
The foodbank is just one of a number of community initiatives Letele is a part of and one that has been helping locals for a number of years.
It is part of the BBM (Buttabean Motivation) movement that runs free community boot camps and online fitness programmes for locals in a bid to create healthier people.
Letele, who was obese himself, has helped thousands of people - many Pasifika and Māori - work hard to lose weight and conquer obesity.
The BBM Movement foodbank has been a huge help for families within the community throughout the last few years, in particular, when many people were affected by Covid lockdowns or whose jobs were affected due to the pandemic.
Letele said it was sad to know that had this happened to smaller community-run foodbanks, such a theft would have closed them down immediately.
Hundreds of families in Auckland benefited from food parcels each week and will continue to after all this is sorted, Letele said.
"Today, tomorrow - we won't do anything but clean. I felt like someone had literally slapped me in the face when this happened.
"But we aren't giving up."
