Key points:
- The BBM Community Kitchen and Foodshare Service is to close, founder and leader Dave Letele says
- Letele is calling on the Government to do more to support his community initiative and others
- Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says his Government is helping people by fixing the economy but also funds the NZ Food Network.
South Auckland community leader Dave Letele – who is closing his foodbank – is calling on the Government to do more to support his and other community initiatives.
Letele, who runs Buttabean Motivation, announced the impending closure yesterday of the BBM Community Kitchen and Foodshare Service.
He was visibly emotional on Breakfast this morning: “It’s been a tough day, it’s been a tough couple of years.
“I’m just sad when I think of the families that are relying on this,” he added.
“We’ve got the true wrap-around service here of getting people into work, helping them with health and education, really, empowerment.
“It’s a big loss for our community – and I did this publicly because I wanted people to understand, it’s not just us.”
He said “so many” community groups are doing it tough – even though “it’s tough times” and food insecurity is widespread.
Many have already shut down and there will be more to come, he said.
“It’s a huge issue and it’s only getting worse. The demand goes up, the support’s less, and we wonder why there’s an increase in crime, we wonder why people are stealing food.
“People are stealing food; kids are stealing food; we wonder why there’s an increase in crime, and I keep waiting for this Government’s support.
“They kept talking about, ‘We’re gonna take the money out of the bureaucracy and want to put it into the community’.
“Well all of us, we’re here still waiting,” he said. “I’m not standing alone here.”
Lelete said his organisation received $87,000 in Government funding this year, and the rest comes from fundraising.
He said he needs around $1m a year.
‘We do give support’ — Luxon
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday that the Government is working hard to get the economy in order.
“That’s how we help people through a cost of living crisis,” he said.
“The primary way we give people support is through MSD and through hardship allowances for food.
“We continue to support the New Zealand Food Network which actually supports the foodbanks,” he continued, adding the Government’s direct support for Letele’s foodbank was “one of our larger contributions directly to a foodbank”.
“We do give support, equally support comes from the private sector as well.”
Luxon said Letele has “some great programmes going on” in a range of areas.
‘It’s alright for him’ — Letele
However, a clearly aggrieved Letele said: “It’s alright for him, he’s sorted. This is a disgrace, I’m not alone, I’m telling you.
“If groups like us continue to close, New Zealand is in serious trouble. There are so many people relying on services like ours.
“All you’ve got to do is use your common sense, come down to the grass roots, the flax roots of the community, see what groups are working – with next to no money, having an impact – and resource them properly, get out of the way, resource them properly, and watch the outcomes flow.
“They keep talking about outcomes, but they’re not investing in where it needs to happen.”
‘A quantum of funding’ — Willis
Finance Minister Nicola Willis also said yesterday that she was saddened to hear of the closure.
“The Government invests significantly through the welfare system to make sure that those who are without jobs or income are supported by fellow New Zealanders,” she said.
“We also make hardship grants available for those who find themselves in particularly challenging circumstances, and we do provide a quantum of funding for food networks, for food banks, across the country.
“The Government should make those supports available, and it does. The question is always, ‘can all New Zealanders afford to keep increasing that rate investment in the way we have in recent years?’ The books today tell us it’s now a time for very careful choices.”
‘They’re not gonna have any food’ — Letele
Letele said this morning: “We understand times are tough but I just want to really emphasise that if groups like us continue to close…
“I’m high-profile, I have this big profile and corporate support. If we’re doing it tough, imagine how tough the other groups are doing it?
“There’s gonna be kids going into Christmas with no food, never mind presents. They’re not gonna have any food.”
He said it’s “so easy” to get politicians to visit before an election – “doesn’t matter what political party”, “they’re all in here” – but it’s “so hard after”.
“I’m telling you, all you politicians, especially the ones that are in power now: I will remember this.
“When you come around for your photo shoots, and you ask me to come here and hold press conferences, I’ll remember it.”
Letele said Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown’s office had contacted him since the closure was announced and “asked how much it will take”.
“I hope we can get some support to continue the work that we’re doing, because it’s a massive hole we’re leaving.”
