Latest news with #TaimahiTrust
NZ Herald
7 days ago
- Business
- NZ Herald
On The Up: Whangārei trust wants to offer supermarket alternative, cheaper butter
Taimahi Trust also has a long-term aim of making everything in the store available online, so customers can place orders whenever it suits them, and receive them through delivery or click-and-collect. Delivery areas cover greater Whangārei including Hikurangi, Te Kamo, Maunu and Onerahi, with plans to deliver to hubs as demand grows. Chairwoman and chief executive Rachel Hill is even looking at expanding the store's range, so it will eventually sell some cheeses and butter. With the price of butter being a hot topic at the moment, she hopes to be able to sell it for cheaper than supermarkets, while still making a small margin. 'Even though we're a charity we still want to be business-like and we also want to be cheaper than other places. It helps people with their budget and people who might be food insecure.' But Hill is conscious of working on one step at a time. Taimahi Trust operations administrator Troy Robertson, back left, and admin trainee Anton Herbert have found their calling with the trust. Photo / Denise Piper The trust previously delivered vege boxes but had to retrench this during the post-Covid downturn, before branching out again thanks to grants from the likes of the Ministry of Social Development. Resilience and fortitude are part of the story of the trust, which began as a coffee cart in 2017. Hill and Alison Faithful started the enterprise for their sons, who both have Down syndrome, and were struggling to find training and work opportunities - like many with intellectual disabilities. It has now developed into a groundbreaking training model for young people with intellectual or learning disabilities, creating a community for them, Hill said. Trainee Jordan Jennings carefully cuts ginger in Taimahi Trust's commercial kitchen, where a wide range of goodies are made. Photo / Denise Piper Taimahi Trust currently has 12 staff and 20 trainees, who often surpass what is expected of them, she said. Some have moved into supervisory roles, while others have gained paid work or further training, Hill said. 'They come here quite helpless because people have done things for them all the time - we turn it around,' she said. Hill's son Nathan is still a trainee and she, like many parents of the trainees, has noticed large changes due to the trust's holistic approach. Trainees Sweetie Loeak and Te Wairere Tepania work happily in Taimahi Trust's greenhouses. Strategic development manager James Ibell-Roberts said every time someone comes into the store or buys a product, it helps empower and upskill the trainees. 'For us, the more people coming into the store and engaging with our trainees is breaking down the social barriers or isolation that our trainees experience.' Taimahi Trust works with social enterprise Foodtogether to get affordable fresh produce, he said. 'We're about making affordable and nutritious kai - many of it grown by our trainees - making it accessible either at people's door or in store.' The store is also less overwhelming for customers who might struggle with sensory overload in a supermarket, Ibell-Roberts said. Further long-term plans include providing accommodation for trainees from wider Northland and branching out with different microenterprises. The Taimahi Fresh+ store is available at 19 Bank St or for online orders. Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.
Scoop
26-06-2025
- General
- Scoop
Kai Ora Fund Strengthens Sustainable Kai Projects Across Te Tai Tokerau
Innovative community-led kai resilience projects across Northland have received a boost from the 2025 Kai Ora Fund. A total of $182,877 is being distributed to support 48 projects - including 28 in the Far North, 15 in Whangārei, and 5 in Kaipara. The Kai Ora Fund offers yearly grants of up to $5,000 per project to support local initiatives that enhance food security and strengthen community resilience. Since its launch ten years ago, the fund has backed over 300 projects led by community groups, whānau trusts, social enterprises, and small businesses. Kai Ora Fund Partner, Sasja Mazurkiewicz, of Healthy Families Far North, says "Kai Ora Fund is a humble grant, but what applicants have told us is that the Kai Ora Fund is the difference between many community initiatives happening and not being realised at all, and that's really special to be part of. What we've learnt is that food security looks different to different communities, and over the years, we've seen really creative solutions to addressing some of the kai challenges we face in Northland. Kai Ora Fund supports those passionate people and groups who have the solutions and just need the resources to get their idea off the ground, so they can keep doing the things they know is best for their community." Mahitahi Hauora and Kai Ora Fund's Whānau Engagement & Innovation Partner, Erana Peita, said 'Kai Ora Fund continues to attract a diverse range of impactful initiatives that make a meaningful difference in the communities they serve.' Advertisement - scroll to continue reading One of the new projects Kai Ora Fund is supporting this year is the Far North's Māmā Māra Initiative. This initiative empowers māmā with the skills, resources, and mātauranga (knowledge) to grow their own food, in alignment with maramataka - the traditional Māori lunar planting calendar. For generations Māori have followed the maramataka to guide planting and harvesting, promoting environmental harmony and food security. Today, many whānau face food insecurity, and rely on expensive, store-bought kai. The Kai Ora Fund grant will help this project towards reviving Māori gardening practices, reconnecting whānau with ancestral knowledge while meeting practical food needs. This initiative focuses on supporting whānau in the first 1,000 days of pēpī's life and participating māmā will receive starter garden packs - including seeds, seedlings, compost, and growing guides - along with hands-on wānanga covering garden setup, seasonal planting, and maramataka use, as well as ongoing mentoring. Continuing their progress made through funding success last year, Whangārei's Taimahi Trust, who run a herbarium, have been successful in their bid for continued support this year. This initiative provides young adults with learning and intellectual disabilities to participate in immersive on-the-job training, enabling them to grow healthy, affordable kai in a dedicated hothouse environment. In the Kaipara District, the Maungaturoto Residents Association has received funding to create a permaculture-style orchard around the Centennial Hall in their town. Their vision is to build a resilient, community-based food network through the creation of public edible garden spaces. The project also aims to inspire other communities across Te Tai Tokerau to create their own communal kai gardens. The Kai Ora Fund partnership comprises Mahitahi Hauora PHE, Te Tari Taiwhenua | Department of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Social Development | Te Manatū Whakahiato Ora, Te Whatu Ora | Health New Zealand – Te Tai Tokerau, Kāinga Ora | Homes and Communities, Kaipara District Council, Healthy Families Far North, Whangārei District Council, Te Kaunihera o Te Hiku o Te Ika | Far North District Council and Foundation North.
