One woman, armed with a smiley face sandwich stamp, is doing her bit to stamp out child hunger in her community and is putting plenty of smiles on faces, not just sandwiches, while she does so.
It's not ok for a child to be hungry. A full tummy helps them learn.
Rochelle Steer talks fast and talks a lot, but she also listens.
The gregarious, friendly Hawera mother and business owner is not the sort of person to sit back and ignore a problem. So when she heard about a local man who was struggling to survive on just $47 a week she knew she had to do something to help.
After posting on Facebook that she planned to get some food to him, others donated as well, showing Rochelle that the community wanted to help people, but it maybe needed a way to channel that help.
Rochelle was inspired to start a Koha Shed, where people can donate unwanted items which can then be passed on to those in need in the community.
"Now I often come home and can't get into my house as the entrance way is blocked with so many donated items that people have dropped off during the day."
Koha Sheds run around the country, and Rochelle asked if there were rules to running one.
"I wasn't sure about food parcels, if we could do them or not."
With an infectious laugh, Rochelle points out, "I don't do well without boundaries".
On being told there weren't rules, she started cooking and delivering meals as well as pantry staples to families in need.
"One time, I took the stuff into the house and helped put it in the the cupboards. There was nothing else there, just three tins of baked bins. No other food. I went home and got more food to take to that lady. She was so grateful, but really, all I did was give her a hand when she needed it. We should all be doing that."
Rochelle was worried about the children growing up in the type of poverty that she thought didn't exist in New Zealand.
"I was living in a bubble, I had no idea what was happening in our towns, our communities."
Rochelle started thinking about ways to directly help the children themselves.
I wanted to know that the kids weren't hungry, that they had something to eat, and the easiest way seemed to be to go through the schools.
A couple of phone calls to schools later, and Rochelle had volunteered to make lunches for eight children. The next day it was more. Now, just a few weeks later, Rochelle makes around 30 lunches a day, then drives around Hawera delivering them to the schools. "I call them all in the morning and see how many they need, then out comes the bread, the ham and cheese and my little production line starts for the day."
Money raised by the Koha Shed goes towards the costs, with local businesses also stepping up and offering help. "Subway Hawera have given us ham for the sandwiches, and Yarrows have donated bread."
Every school day, Rochelle is up at 4am, making lunch packs for children who would otherwise go hungry. Each child gets fruit, a sandwich and something sweet at the very minimum. "We often have home baking that we put in, otherwise a muesli bar or some other snack food."
Asked if she is worried people may take advantage, Rochelle shrugs. "It doesn't matter as long as the children are fed, that's what this is about."
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