The opening of the new Pāpāmoa Food Hub this week in Pāpāmoa East is good news for people suffering from rising living costs and soaring mortgage rates.

“There is a new group of working people who are needing help,” says Pāpāmoa Food Hub founder Bruce Banks, who is also the manager of Western Bay of Plenty Neighbourhood Support.

Bruce says the impact of rising mortgage rates on people has been a real eye-opener.

“I’ve spoken with quite a few who are facing mortgage difficulty and rate rises.

"People bought property in Pāpāmoa, and almost immediately rates started moving up.

"Some are having to find an extra $500 a week. It’s mortgage poverty.

"They have to sell up and go rent.”

Bruce says Pāpāmoa is not the affluent place people think it is.

“They’re going through pain, and suffering in silence.”

Really needs it 

Bruce says the Pāpāmoa business community is keen to help the Pāpāmoa Food Hub initiative, offering cash or goods and services.

“It’s a superb initiative,” says Bay of Plenty MP Tom Rutherford.

“Our Pāpāmoa community really needs it.

"I meet a lot of people every single day in our local BOP electorate who find themselves in really challenging circumstances.

"Knowing we’ve got somewhere like the Pāpāmoa Food Hub available to help service those people is another avenue and agency to give them the support they really need to get through another day.”

The Pāpāmoa Food Hub was created following the closure of Pāpāmoa Family Services.

Anyone wanting help can access the service via www.heretohelpu.nz which connects with Pāpāmoa Food Hub, which is a delivery model.

Volunteers then arrange for a food parcel to be gathered for them and delivered to their home, following which there is further opportunity to discuss their situation and connect them with other agencies where needed.

Discretion and respect 

Future plans include a website where applications from the public will go direct to Pāpāmoa Food Hub.

“We’re currently only doing deliveries on Thursdays as we don’t have enough helpers yet,” says Bruce.

Bruce says relationship breakdowns, mortgage rates, work changes and employment problems can all impact. “A $500 a week mortgage was affordable – but at $1000 a week it’s not.

"We want to give people a hand up rather than a hand out,” says Bruce.

“These are people who feel too proud to come for help.

"If they can drop their pride and say: ‘I need help’, they don’t need to struggle.

“We just want to better their lives,” says interim Pāpāmoa Food Hub chair Chris Bertram.

“It’s not through any fault of their own that they’ve found themselves in this position.

"There is no shame in coming to us,” says Chris.

“There will be utmost discretion, utmost respect,” says Bruce.