The Kuaotunu Residents and Ratepayers Association and the wider community are delighted the owners of the Matarangi Four Square and Foodstuff NZ have made a very generous offer of funding for grocery supplies to be used to support our community in the event of another major weather event restricting access for food supplies. The Kuaotunu Emergency Support Group are equally thrilled with this offer and recently met and discussed how the supplies would be stored and distributed.
The recent rain event on 26 March causing localised flooding and threatening road closures once again highlighted the need for our community to be well prepared for emergency events. Positivity with news of such generosity and kindness is welcome when storms cause heartache and anxiety.
Extract from Four Square Matarangi letter
Darren & I, as local owner operators of Four Square Matarangi are really proud to be able to support the Kuaotunu Emergency Response Team by helping provide emergency supplies, so they’re better prepared if the next weather event leaves them cut off again with road closures and/or flooding.
Foodstuffs North Island has a fund called “Here For NZ”, which I was able to apply to for funding to make this happen. We’re just finalising the supply list now, but the funding has been approved and we’re ready to get everything delivered.
We’re also looking forward to helping Whangapoua and Matarangi get prepared ahead of the next weather event as well.
In addition to the generosity from Sharon and Darren Walker there are also discussions underway for a Kuaotunu Resilience Fund to be managed by the Kuaotunu Residents & Ratepayers Association. The fund is the brainchild of two long-term Kuaotunu residents who would kick start the fund. The finer points of how funds would be donated and distributed are yet to be decided but it’s very heartwarming to have such generosity in our community”.
Steve Hart is Chair of the Kuatotunu Residents and Ratepayers Association.
