Generous east Auckland residents have donated thousands of dollars’ worth of food and other items that will be sent to people impacted by the devastating Cyclone Gabrielle.
The goods were collected and sorted at Botany MP and National Party leader Christopher Luxon’s local electorate office on February 17.
Among the donations was rice, pasta, canned food, children’s pyjamas, shampoo, sanitary products, toilet paper, soaps, toothbrushes and toothpaste, among others.
Luxon’s staff members Katja Kershaw and Lisa Ambridge were helped with the sorting process by Botany Youth MP Aryan Bhatnagar and volunteer Rob Tuckey.
Kershaw says: “We put a call out to Botany electorate members and constituents at midday on February 16.
“We told them the main things we needed were food, children’s pyjamas, and toiletries, and we sent it out to key people and organisations and contacts and it went viral.”
One generous person donated 100 pairs of brand new footwear and Asian food stores in the community also stepped up.
“It’s an overwhelming response and people really want to help,” Kershaw says.
Ambridge adds: “People are desperate to help but they weren’t sure how they could and this has given them an opportunity to do that.”
The donated items are being passed to a charity which will arrange for them to be distributed to people impacted by the cyclone.
