Prepackaged food parcels are out and carts in at a social supermarket tackling “food insecurity” in Tokoroa, described as one of the country’s most underprivileged cities.
The supermarket will open in mid-August and will be run by Buttabean Motivation (BBM) of South Auckland at its new location on Ashworth St.
“No one should be ashamed to get food aid” BBM founder David Letele said.
BBM has been operating a gym in Tokoroa for the past three years and has partnered with Foodstuffs North Island to provide much-needed assistance to whānau dealing with “food insecurity”.
READ MORE:
† Food limits in supermarkets make families shop more often, but is that ideal during an Omicron outbreak?
† Food banks ‘overwhelmed’ as Covid-19 lockdown kicks in, expecting need to grow
† Father of eight layoffs in lockdown: ‘We see no economic recovery’
“It’s about giving people what they need to take care of themselves and their families in difficult times, without taking anything from their dignity,” Letele said.
MARK TAYLOR/Waikato Times
Dee Shortland is the team leader of BBM Tokoroa and will be part of the team running Tokoroa’s new social supermarket at the same location.
wait, the 2022 Kiwi Bank New Zealand Local Hero of the Year and Dancing with the Stars competitor, said he and his team, led by Dee Shortland of Tokoroa, learned a lot about the needs of the community. They would focus on “providing dignified food assistance, by allowing people experiencing food insecurity to choose what they need for themselves in a supermarket-like environment — rather than giving people pre-filled food packages that may not meet their specific needs.” needs”.
The supermarket would be in line with the recently opened Te Hiku Pātaka in Kaitaia – a partnership with Te Kahu Oranga Whānau and Foodstuffs North Island.
Unlike the traditional food bank and food parcel model, Te Hiku Pātaka works like a supermarket.
People walk through the store with a cart and take things from the shelf.
After an initial interaction with support staff, whānau is asked to make a small contribution to their shopping, providing a more dignified shopping experience.
Delivered
David Letele, a former pro boxer known as the Brown Buttabean, outside his South Auckland headquarters.
“The idea is that this will be a place that offers more than just emergency food – it’s a place where people can connect with a wide range of support services to ensure that one day they don’t need the social grocery store anymore. have more,” said Letele.
He said it would not have been possible without the help of his friend Dan Ludlum, director of Putāruru’s The Timber Barron, who paid the rent for the building.
St Vincent de Paul Waikato General Manager Mike Rolton said the situation in Tokoroa was terribleand he supported the idea of a social supermarket in what he called “one of the most deprived towns in New Zealand”.
“The combined cost of living is pulling the social fabric out of cities like Tokoroa. It’s just awful.”
The Tokoroa supermarket will be Foodstuffs’ third social supermarket partnership, following the success of the anniversary Wellington City Mission Social Supermarket and Te Hiku Pataka in Kaitaia.
Willa Hand, Foodstuffs North Island’s chief of membership experience, said partnering with BBM in Tokoroa was a “no brainer.”
“We have had a close relationship with BBM for quite some time and have been supporting their Foodshare business in South Auckland since the start of the pandemic.
“When they told us about their plans to open another Foodshare in Tokoroa, it made perfect sense that we would give our support and help them set it up as a social supermarket.”
Hand said talks are underway with community partners in several other regions to set up similar operations.
BBM’s Dee Shortland said if anyone in Tokoroa was in need they would be there to help.
“I think it would be good for anyone who is in a predicament, even working people there is a great need for this in Tokoroa.”
Letele said Foodstuffs’ support would help take their plans for the Tokoroa community to the next level.
“With Foodstuffs on board, we get their retail expertise and support with all the logistics from setting up a supermarket, training a team to run it and sorting processes to ensure stock is always on the shelf when people need it. need.”