New to town and already helping out

Rakesh Prasad is helping out at the Salvation Army foodbank. Photo/Stephen Parker

He may have only been in the country four months, but one Rotorua student is already helping out his new community.

The Rotorua Daily Post recently launched its 2015 Christmas Appeal, collecting donations for the Salvation Army Foodbank.

At the foodbank this week the Rotorua Daily Post caught up with one of its latest volunteers.

Rakesh Prasad, 33, moved to Rotorua four months ago from a small town in India called Kerala.

In Kerala, Mr Prasad volunteered in the kitchen at his local church, which opened its doors to the hungry and served them meals.

Mr Prasad is now a student at Waiariki Institute of Technology studying a diploma in management and is currently on a semester break.

He has been attending the Salvation Army church where he had a chat with Major Bill Millar about what he could do to help the Rotorua community.

"I thought it would be a good thing to do with my spare time. It's a good feeling."

So far Mr Prasad has volunteered at the foodbank four times.

"If they welcome me, I'm definitely wanting to come back."

Volunteer hours at the foodbank are Mondays and Wednesdays 1pm to 3pm and Thursdays 9.30am to 12pm.

-Are you or your business, school or organisation collecting food or money for the foodbank? We'd love to hear what you are doing. Email news@dailypost.co.nz