Tane and Maryjane Manukau from Mj’z Cafe are doing their best to help Kaitāia's homeless by giving them free meals. Photo / Denise Piper
Tane and Maryjane Manukau from Mj’z Cafe are doing their best to help Kaitāia's homeless by giving them free meals. Photo / Denise Piper
When Maryjane and Tane Manukau returned to the Far North from Auckland five years ago, they were struck by “hidden” homelessness and significant hardship in their small town.
The couple opened Mj’z Seafood and Whānau Kai in Kaitāia during the Covid-19 pandemic, and quickly began noticing locals living on thestreets and struggling to get by.
After getting their Commerce St cafe established during testing times, they hatched a plan to help.
The Manukaus launched Koha Monday, providing free hot soup and hearty meals through their “pay it forward” system.
Donations from generous customers who can pay a little extra for their kai are added to a donation board, allowing Maryjane to provide free meals to those in need.
“I started to see people, especially with the price of food going up, looking in rubbish bins in Kaitāia,” Maryjane said.
“We noticed the pig buckets [used for scraps] had been opened during the night. It had to be humans lifting the lids up.
“We started seeing homelessness around our building.”
That included a young, heavily pregnant woman who was sleeping rough with her partner at the rear of the cafe, between the building and a shipping container.
Nowadays, it’s people in their 50s and 60s huddled up on cold, hard concrete outside the shops, Maryjane said.
Along with the cost of living, much of the homelessness is due to a lack of mental health services, she believes.
“There has been a lot of need in Kaitāia for quite some time, but it’s hidden a lot.”
Tane and Maryjane Manukau have a pay it forward system in their cafe, which provides free meals for those in need. Photo / Denise Piper
Maryjane’s idea for Koha Mondays, which she regularly posts on social media, has been well received.
The couple have been doing free meals on Mondays for about two years and currently feed about 30 to 40 people a week.
The locals know that, no matter their circumstances, they can get a decent meal, including the cafe’s special big breakfast, mince on toast, fish and chips, or eggs benedict.
“There are a lot of people out there who haven’t got any money,” Maryjane said.
“Whoever walks in, they can get a koha meal.
“I want them to come in and feel like they’re part of the community and that they have every right to come into an establishment like mine.
As winter has set in, the demand for hot meals has increased, so Maryjane and Tane want to provide two extra koha nights, on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
However, they need help from the community to expand their noble venture.
They are seeking donations of bulk food items, including fresh and frozen vegetables, meat, flour, tinned tomatoes, red and brown lentils, and dried pasta to make more tasty dishes.
Maryjane also wants dessert ingredients to whip up puddings, “because every meal should finish with something sweet”.
“My heart goes out to the ones out there with nothing,” she said.
“Supporting vulnerable community members requires a collective commitment.”
If you can donate food items, message Maryjane on Mj’z Facebook page, pop into 107 Commerce St, Kaitāia, or email mjzkaikaitaia@gmail.com
Jenny Ling is a senior journalist at the Northern Advocate. She has a special interest in covering human interest stories, along with finance, roading, and animal welfare issues.
