On Monday the 8th of June 2020, local members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints partnered with two organizations, Halo and TCOSS (Tokoroa Council of Social Services), to provide donated food and other household essentials to needy families in Tokoroa, New Zealand. A class of Tokoroa high school students also assisted.
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The food and essentials were purchased from a local grocery store and then packed into boxes for delivery. The TCOSS organisation identified the recipient families. Then teams of the volunteers involved in the project delivered the boxes to the families.
“We so are pleased to be part of this effort to help needy families and individuals in our community,” said Nooroa Manu, of the Rotorua Stake presidency. “It was gratifying to see our local members work shoulder to shoulder with the teams from Halo and TCOSS in this effort."
Arama Puriri, the Church Welfare Self-Reliance Services Manager for the area, said, “It was a very moving experience to visit these families and to witness their smiles, humility, and appreciation as they received their food parcels. One lady said 'thank you' over and over as we handed her the packages.”
The project will continue over a period of six weeks to help families affected by COVID-19.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a worldwide church with over 115,000 members in New Zealand. Church President Russell M. Nelson has said, "As members of the Church, we feel a kinship to those who suffer in any way. As sons and daughters of God, we are all brothers and sisters. We heed an Old Testament admonition: 'Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy.'”
He added, "Giving help to others—making a conscientious effort to care about others as much as or more than we care about ourselves—is our joy. Especially, I might add, when it is not convenient and when it takes us out of our comfort zone. Living that second great commandment [to love thy neighbour] is the key to becoming a true disciple of Jesus Christ.”