One month after formally establishing its food bank 'Pātaka Oranga', the Nga Kete Matauranga Pounamu Charitable Trust has already been able to help many whanau in their times of need.

Chief executive Tracey Wright-Tawha says the trust has no plans of slowing down. 

"We've had on average 15 requests for food parcels per week. That's not insignificant," Ms Wright-Tawha said.

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Nga Kete began providing food and services to families during the lockdown period after it noticed an increase in the number of families requiring food and support.

They delivered 1200 food parcels to families through Pātaka Oranga, made 88 well-being calls to elderly, took 5000 support phone calls and did 500 medication drop off runs. 

Nga Kete was identified as an essential service during the lockdown and worked alongside Civil Defence.

What began as an emergency response has grown into a permanent fixture. 

Loosely translated, Pātaka in Te Reo means 'food storehouse' and oranga means 'well-being.' 

The Trust has since secured $70,000 in government funding through the Ministry of Social Development’s community food response fund, which should see the new food bank "through the next few years," Ms Wright-Tawha said.

Awarua Synergy Manager Rā Kapene carrying boxes of donated goods from Awarua Synergy into the Nga Kete offices today.

PHOTO: Lucy Henry

"We understood that there would be an ongoing impact of COVID even into [Alert] Level 1.”

Ms Wright-Tawha said she’s also conscious there will be an ongoing need in the community when the Tiwai aluminium smelter closes, which will see up to 2600 jobs lost in Southland. 

"Based on looking at other areas that have had significant closure and unemployment, such as the West Coast for example, it takes a while for people to re-purpose and retrain, come to grips with new budgets, I can see that with an impending closure of Tiwai and the flow on effects of that."

"We also felt [the pataka oranga] was an important thing to do as we felt we had an understanding of our client group in our community and we knew that we would probably deliver to people who may not always access the other [food banks]."

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The food bank will supply whanau with enough packages of fresh fruit, veggies and dry goods to tide families over for a few days. 

Whānau Ora navigator Rata Hopa said the aim of the new food bank isn't to double up with the Southland Food Bank or the Salvation Army, but to serve a need that they have identified within the Maori and Pasifika communities.

In true Southland style, donations have already started arriving from local businesses. 

Awarua Synergy Manager Rā Kapene showing Nga Kete Whānau Ora navigators Rata Hopa and Les Russell and Nga Kete CE

Tracey Wright-Tawha the donated boxes of warm goods today. PHOTO: Lucy Henry

Today, local energy efficiency company Awarua Synergy donated several boxes of supplies to Nga Kete.

The boxes contained a 'warm-up pack' for families in need, containing hot chocolate, marshmallows, chocolate thins, warm socks, hot water bottles and blankets, Beaton said.

“We’re really supportive of the new food bank and wanted to make a contribution to the cause. Helping people stay warm is at the core of what we do,” Awarua Synergy chief executive Sumaria Beaton said.