The Manukau Urban Māori Authority is set to help about 250 South Auckland whānau facing a bleak Christmas by providing food parcels and children’s gifts. However, they wish they could assist even more.
Spokesperson Puhihuia Wade says in this fifth year of the programme, they are well-organised, with a drive-in service supported by about 40 staff and up to 20 volunteers.
She says in the past, it was chaotic, with some people queueing overnight for hours to secure their place.
“So that wasn’t a way to show manaaki to our whānau, so we pivoted really quickly to a collection way, where whānau can actually be booked in – they can come in via a drive-through-type service,” says Wade.
Applications for the programme officially closed yesterday and unfortunately, Puhihuia Wade says there aren’t enough providers to meet the needs of everyone seeking help.
