Food for Life founder Buddhi Wilcox is baking a batch of pinwheels in two new ovens funded by a Manaia PHO grant when a woman from the Whangarei Bee Club drops off a 10kg bucket of honey.
It is a fitting symbol of how the community pulls together to help Food for Life's school dinner programme.
"It's wonderful and things like this happen every day," a grateful Mr Wilcox says.
Food for Life trustee David Martin, Manaia PHO chief executive Chris Farrelly and health promotions manager Ngaire Rae are also tickled pink as the honey is handed over.
"There's something else happening here, apart from feeding people," Mr Farrelly said of the gesture, steeped in the ethic of sharing.