Toi Ohomai charity house to boost community organisations sells for $385,000

The Toi Ohomai charity house auction underway. Photo / Supplied

Rotorua community organisations could be set to receive a much-needed boost, thanks to the sale of the Toi Ohomai Charity House.

The latest house was sold at auction for $385,000 last weekend, the profits of which will be injected into the community.

Although final costs are yet to be finalised, this year could see the highest amount available for community groups and organisations in need of a monetary boost.

Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology carpentry students build the home, with support from industry partners, for the Charity House project, which has been running since 2013.

Professionals McDowell Real Estate has been on board since the beginning, using their expertise to market and sell the property, and the money raised is given to Rotary Rotorua Sunrise Charitable Trust to distribute.

Brian Dillon, Toi Ohomai faculty dean of Primary Industries, Trades and Infrastructure, says that although the house comes from the carpentry programme, it is much more than just a house, and the students are part of that from the start.

"They get a real sense of purpose from being involved in the build, and get to appreciate the entire build process.

"While many of these students will go on to gain apprenticeships and become trade qualified, they also remain part of the wider community who are the ultimate beneficiaries of the distribution of funds.

"It's great that we can assist our community in this way. We are excited to be in a position where we can hand out much-needed grants to various organisations, especially in these very difficult times."

Brian says this year's build was particularly challenging with the lockdowns and product delays because of Covid-19, but the students, tutors and project partners worked immensely hard to build a high-quality house.

Rotary Rotorua Sunrise Charitable Trust will manage the funding applications, and allocation of grants and expressions of interest from local organisations will soon open.