Rotorua Sikh community hands out hundreds of food packs for needy families

Rotorua Sikh community distribute hundreds of food packs. Photo / Supplied

Rotorua residents came to the Rotorua Sikh temple with "warm hearts" and big needs today.

"You wouldn't believe how many people need help," Rotorua Sikh leader Gurinderpal Singh said.

Rotorua Sikh community distribute hundreds of food packs. Photo / Supplied

Members of the religious group spread word they would distribute 500 food packages to needy families between midday and 2pm today. Cars began queuing outside the temple at 10.30am.

Fortunately, behind the scenes, volunteers prepared to distribute up to 900 packs and continued past 2pm to do so.

The distribution was contactless, straight to car boots and 100 packs were being dropped off to homes.

Singh said one man came with tears in his eyes and a letter.

"He said: 'you are the real Kiwis, helping out our country'."

The cars eventually backed up from Ward St to a nearby roundabout on Fenton St.

Police helped with traffic control and ensuring social distancing was managed, and Rotorua MP Todd McClay helped hand out the packs.

Rotorua MP Todd McClay helped the Sikh community distribute food packs. Photo / Supplied

"Many thanks to them," Singh said.

"Otherwise we wouldn't have known how to control so many cars."

The packs included bread and milk and three reusable bags of other food such as flour, rice, fruit and vegetables.

Singh said the Sikh community in Rotorua was made up of "family people".

"We are trying to help ... Our religion says 'if you help others, others will help you more'."

Earlier this week, volunteer Paramdip Singh said the Sikh community had been delivering cooked food to the homeless and serving food at the temple prior to the nationwide lockdown.

"So this drive is a way for us to continue to support the community in a safe way."

Rotorua Sikh community distribute hundreds of food packs. Photo / Supplied

"We were getting a lot of requests from our own community to do something as well, so we wanted to expand on that," he said.

"Sikh Sangat New Zealand is the main contributor and has successfully held drives in Auckland as well."