A supermarket is proud to share its six-month anniversary. Since the opening of Tokora's social supermarket, it has significantly impacted the community.
Under the leadership of BBM Founder Dave Letele and Supermarket Manager Norah Carlson, the social supermarket has been building strong relationships with other service providers in the area and supporting whānau in need.
The social supermarket has supported over 25 families weekly in the past six months. The supermarket provided Christmas hampers to families in need, which were greatly appreciated and a huge help, especially as most whānau in contact with the social supermarket were unprepared for the holiday season.
"The struggle is real, and many people get to a point where they just don't know what to do. We're often the last resort, and we're here to provide a helping hand and support to those in need," said Norah Carlson, Social Supermarket Manager.
Carlson stated that providing access to food and the essentials also connected the community with social services to provide wrap-around support, employment opportunities through connection Work and Income, free community boot camps, and help with local youth programmes.
Dave Letele, Founder of BBM, shared that seeing the increased demand for these services across the board was concerning. However, Letele believed that the social supermarket model was the way forward.
"We know many Kiwis are doing it tough right now, and hardworking whānau sometimes just need a helping hand. Together with the team at BBM, we've been putting in the Mahi to provide much-needed support for the people of Tokoroa," said Willa Hand, Head of Membership Excellence for Foodstuffs North Island.
Hand continued that what was exciting about the supermarket was underpinned by the community's commitment to building solid foundations and growing more resilient.
The community has expressed immense gratitude for the service provided by the social supermarket and the BBM team in Tokoroa. The supermarket has become a vital resource for many families, providing access to affordable food and essential items.
The social supermarket programme was part of Foodstuffs' commitment to being 'Here for New Zealand'. The cooperative has actioned this as part of delivering on its four promises to support every New Zealander to access healthy and affordable food, create meaningful work for its people, and support local communities to thrive while leading in sustainability operations and products.
Last year, the cooperative announced plans to partner with community organisations to open many more social supermarkets.
BBM's Social Supermarket in Tokoroa is partnered with New World Tokoroa and provides ongoing training and support to the BBM team while providing products to help keep the shelves stocked.
