Porirua mum of eight Julie Ann Moore's heartwarming effort to help her community

Julie Ann Moore, pictured with her husband Simon, says seeing the grateful smiles of people she is helping makes it worth it. Photo / Facebook, Julie Ann Moore

Despite having eight children of her own, Porirua mum Julie Ann Moore is determined to do her bit to help people struggling in her community.

Posting to Facebook page Porirua BUY/SELL/TRADE, 31-year-old Moore has started offering a weekly food parcel to a family or individual in the community who is struggling to make ends meet.

Moore says she knows how tough it can be to raise a family on a tight budget.

"We have eight children and have been in that situation ourselves. I've just learnt to cook larger meals cheaper and not spend what I was spending. So anything extra I just grab those bits and pieces and put it all together for a family that may need it."

After helping out on a local "pay it forward" Facebook page, the stay-at-home mum said she was made privy to the plights of others in her community.

"Being a part of that, the amount of people asking for help is unreal. I know, being in Porirua, there are a lot of families in need. I spoke to my husband and said, 'What if we can try and have the bare essentials for ourselves and try and give extras to help other people'. He was like, 'Yeah, all for it'."

So Moore has begun sharing a weekly photo of basic food items left over from her shopping. In her post she encourages people to get in touch about their situation and arrange collection of her food parcel.

The responses so far have been humbling, says Moore. Speaking to the Herald, she became emotional when she explained how grateful people have been to receive her help.

"Sorry, I'm getting a bit upset. They are so embarrassed coming to the door. But the smiles on their faces ... They thank you so much, it just makes it so worth it."

Moore says she has been contacted by a mixture of families and individuals hoping to receive her food parcel and says the movement has prompted others to help out too.

"Last week I picked a young fella asking for his grandparents. Then another woman got in touch so I offered her $20. Then another lady offered $20 and another offered some more food. So it led to other people wanting to help, which was really cool.

"Others have commented on the post saying it's given them something to think about and they would like to try and do it as well."

Moore said when she was helping out on the Pay It Forward Porirua page people were inclined to get in touch directly "because they don't want to be judged".

"A lot of people were embarrassed. They would ask for a post to be put up for them and people would offer to help. And a few people would mention that there were food banks and St Vincent de Paul in the area."

She plans to keep sharing her offer of a weekly food parcel and hopes more people will be encouraged to start doing the same.