Fund to help people who are struggling

A new fund has been set up to help people in the Taranaki community who are struggling.

The Te Karaka Taranaki Community Fund 2020 has been established to help people who are facing increasing hardship as the fallout from coronavirus continues, Te Karaka Foundation chief executive Grace Wesolowska said.

And Wesolowska is encouraging people to donate to the fund.

‘‘It doesn’t matter how big or small the donation is. I think if we don’t get the community behind it we won’t get anywhere. We need to help each other.’’

The new fund received

adonation of $10,000 from an anonymous donor 30 minutes after it was launched.

And Te Karaka Foundation founder and supporter The Tindall Foundation gave $25,000 to distribute in the community, she said.

‘‘This was to help the Taranaki community in these difficult times. We can start distributing as soon as we get the fund, which is in April .’’

A woman had just called her to say she was having emergency surgery this week, unrelated to coronavirus, and could they assist her with funding for rehab and to change accommodation so people could look after her, Wesolowska said. ‘‘We would like to simplify applications as much as we can, so it won’t be the standard application process.

‘‘I will help them to put the application through and the trustees will approve it nearly on the spot. And the money will be transferred.’’

Some of the people the foundation has assisted in the past have already been on the phone asking for help, she said.

‘‘There will be a lot of people needing help and I hope we can encourage our community to donate.’’

People can apply for emailing the foundation at org.nz.

Donations can be made through the website: tkf.org.nz. help by info@tkf.

People who celebrate Easter with chocolate needn’t worry about the thousands of eggs locked away in Warehouse stores across the country.

The retail giant has assured chocolatelovers they will be available to purchase when the country comes out of lockdown – minus the eggs offered to staff as they left work on Wednesday.

This year Easter falls in the middle of the four-week lockdown period and will be celebrated from April 10 to 13.

And while the red shed’s supply sits tight, chocolate eggs, bunnies and hot cross buns can still be picked up during your essentials run to the supermarket.

Last week, Ian Carter, EGM of operations at The Warehouse, said as the stores closed for lockdown the teams on duty at the time were encouraged to take home an Easter egg. They were also told to take perishable goods such as milk and bread. The remainder of the Easter eggs would be available when The Warehouse reopened, Carter confirmed.

There should be plenty of stock ready to go. When visited on Tuesday, New Plymouth’s store was flush with chocolate eggs and noone was rushing to buy them. At that stage, it was unclear whether The Warehouse was considered an essential service and it was largely understood the stores would remain open during the lockdown. But on Tuesday night the Government gave further advice on what could stay open – and The Warehouse got a resounding no.

So, chocolate-lovers, just wait and have a second Easter.

‘‘We need to help each other.’’ Grace Wesolowska