Community rallies to help, and supermarket initiative a lifesaver for family

Marc Alexander (centre) with SuperGrans general manager Linda Coulston and Pak’nSave owner Brookes Stewart. Picture supplied

In the early hours of February 14, Marc Alexander and his wife Monica woke up in their Makaraka home to find it flooded by Cyclone Gabrielle.

“It was two in the morning. We went straight through to our stuff and just started lifting it out of water to protect anything we could,” Marc said.

Just months earlier, Marc, Monica, and their two children Matthew (6) and Michael (2) had moved to Gisborne from Scotland.

“It was pretty heartbreaking., coming to the other side of the world and having to deal with that in the first four months,” he said.

Marc had secured a job at McCannics but due to the Covid-19 pandemic had to wait to move to New Zealand.

“It’s been so stressful for us the last three years, waiting to come and putting our life on hold to try to fulfil a dream.”

The weekend before Cyclone Gabrielle, the container full of the Alexander family possessions arrived from Scotland, and they spent that weekend unloading boxes into their rental property.

Those boxes held some of the family’s irreplaceable possessions.

Within hours it seemed, they had lost wedding and family photos, and household items including their lounge suite, television and fridge-freezer. Monica’s professional camera equipment was ruined.

With no electricity, Marc and Monica worked for hours trying to save what they could, but once daylight broke the extent of the flood became evident.

Their family car and Marc’s work car were both under water.

They had planned to get contents insurance, but had not found the time, having only just moved to Gisborne.

“You can lose all that stuff. But as long as the four of us were safe, it’s the main thing. All that can be replaced — we can’t be,” Marc said.

The floodwater around the property was so high that the family had to climb out a window into a dinghy to get to safety.

They contemplated returning home to Scotland, but with power and internet out, couldn’t book flights. In the end, they decided to stay.

Marc is full of praise for the Gisborne community for helping them get back on their feet.

“A lot of people in the community have helped us. My work helped us hugely and a lot of friends have helped us through dropping food off, and asking if we need any clothing, blankets, or anything for the kids,” he said.

“If something bad happens, something good is going to happen after that. And thankfully that has happened with all the help and support we’ve had.”

The Alexander family was also a recipient of the Pak Your Pantry initiative.

Pak Your Pantry helps families who have lost their homes due to Cyclone Gabrielle. They are given Pak’nSave vouchers to replace essential items to stock their pantry.

Pak’nSave Gisborne owner Brookes Stewart said the North Island Pak’nSave owners decided to contribute funds to the areas affected by Cyclone Gabrielle.

SuperGrans Tairāwhiti is working with the Gisborne District Council and Kainga Ora to distribute the vouchers.

SuperGrans general manager Linda Coulston was blown away by the support from Food Stuffs NZ Ltd and Gisborne Pak’nSave.

“I get quite emotional just thinking about it. Within the first three days, national Foodstuffs gave $20,000 credit. Our local Pak’nSave gave us another $10,000 and then we received $65,000 of vouchers to distribute.”

Months on, SuperGrans is still helping families affected by the cyclone. They are working with the Tairāwhiti Civil Defence to get food parcels to those in need.