Quake sparks new food drive for Kaikoura

Beni Hafoka has organised a food and water collection for those affected by the Kaikoura earthquake. Photo/John Borren

He collected 25 tonnes of food and water for people affected by the Christchurch earthquake and now Beni Hafokais doing it again for Kaikoura.

Mr Hafoka has parked a truck up at the old weigh station opposite Links Ave Reserve on Maunganui Rd and has already collected "a couple of cubic metres" of non-perishable food and bottles of water.

In 2011, Mr Hafoka did a similar collection - he asked the businesses around his work on Portside Dr for donations, then grabbed some trolleys from New World and went door-to-door to ask for food and water.

This resulted in 25 tonnes of supplies, which were shipped to Christchurch by a freight company.

"Last night, we were sitting on the couch and the news came on. I was thinking of pushing the button on this again," Mr Hafoka told the Bay of Plenty Times.

"My 9-year-old daughter said 'I wish I could do something' and that was it. I went down to Countdown, bought some bottles, and started sharing Facebook posts."

Mr Hafoka than approached schools asking for donations, which he will pick up on Friday.

He has organised two freight options to get the supplies to the South Island on Monday.

"People here, everyone just wants to help, but they don't know how," Mr Hafoka said.

"A lot don't want to give money to an organisation, they want to give something physical."

Mr Hafoka said people could drop donations to him at the old weigh station on Maunganui Rd, at his office at Tarpaulin Makers (BOP) on Portside Dr, or at Russell Hardie Property Management at 147 Old Taupo Rd in Rotorua.

He can be contacted on 027 200 7932.