Pahīatua food drive on again

Canned food is a good option for donation during the Kai Drive. Photo / Leanne Warr

Listen out for sirens on Tuesday as volunteers will be hitting the streets of Pahīatua for the annual Kai Drive.

Pahīatua Fire & Emergency team, NZ Police, St John Shuttle and local volunteers will head out to collect food donations from Pahīatua letterboxes from 6pm (even if it’s raining). This is a community effort at a time of year when some people really struggle to make ends meet.

Organised by Pahīatua Property Brokers and Tararua Community Services, all donations help to keep local people fed throughout the year.

Last year, Tararua Community Services was able to give 254 food parcels and 1612 frozen meals to local families and individuals.

To keep offering this support in 2024, they desperately need help to restock their kai shelves.

If you are home, and you hear the sirens coming, they would love you to come out and give them a wave.

If you are able to donate, please think about the kind of food items that will store well and are popular pantry items for most families.

Things such as tins of chickpeas and lentils are not so popular but tins of fruit and vegetables, baked beans, soups and baking ingredients are.

Snack items that could be used for children’s lunches during the holidays are also popular.

With it being Christmas, including something special is always nice too.

If people live out of town, there is a collection box at Tararua Community Services on Main St (by the coffee cart) and also at Carter’s Tyres In Pahīatua.

The Pahīatua Property Brokers team and Tararua Community Services are so grateful for the support from Pahīatua Lions who do a wonderful job of sorting and organising the food items and Carter’s Tyres for organising their raffle again this year.

Thanks also goes to the volunteers who help by walking the streets, providing utes and trailers and ‘pitching in’ to create such a successful event every year. Many hands make light work!

“Christmas magic is silent. You don’t hear it – you feel it, you know it, you believe it.” Thank you for sharing the ‘magic’ of Christmas with the Pahīatua community.