Showing Wairoa some post-cyclone love

LGNZ has started a national campaign for councils to adopt a hard-hit community as they work to deal with the impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle. We are supporting and partnering with Wairoa through this difficult time for them. It takes a long time for communities to get back on their feet and we have promised to be there when the cameras leave and ‘back to normal’ still feels far away.

Our mayor has been in frequent contact with the Wairoa Mayor and has offered our aroha and a helping hand once they can see a way ahead and know what they might need. We’re here to offer council-to-council help, share resources and pitch in as they make a plan towards recovery.

The Mayor has also been clear that supporting Wairoa doesn’t mean we aren’t helping other communities. We have natural links to Gisborne and smaller communities like Te Karaka and Whatatutu. We know how busy our community already is moving people and resources to help where we can. This doesn’t change. We just want to show Wairoa (which is further away) some community-to-community love too.

Wairoa has a Mayoral Relief Givealittle page for people to donate to. We are not taking physical donations for Wairoa. They have been very clear through their channels that they have enough donations at the moment.

“Financial support is the best way to help. We are overwhelmed by the aroha and support we have received from so many of you so far. We truly appreciate you all. Wairoa has been overwhelmed with donations to such an extent that we are actually struggling to manage all the koha. At this stage all our immediate needs have been met, and the best way to help our community is by making a financial donation to our Givealittle page.”

If people have physical donations that they think may be needed, they can call the i-SITE who will take the details and if we are asked for specific donations of that type, we will be in touch. On occasion, Whakatōhea Māori Trust Board has called for specific donations (eg wheelbarrows, nappies, brooms) but not kai or clothing.

We may have some opportunities to fundraise for the hard-hit folk in Wairoa and we’ll share more as those plans take shape.