Fresh produce comes to Richmond’s Hapori Hub

Helping Families Nelson has become the first Hapori Hub in Richmond, which enables it to sell a weekly box of fruit and vegetables to anyone who needs it for $15.

The scheme is the result of a non-profit collaboration that began in 2021 between Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand – Nelson Marlborough, the Nelson Environment Centre and community partners. Its collective buying power enables it to dramatically reduce the cost of fruit and vegetables which it then offers to the community.

So far it has two hubs in Nelson, two in Stoke and now one in Richmond at the Lower Queen St charity centre, that offer a mix of local, fresh, seasonal produce.

Helping Families Nelson founder Kristy Rowe says the centre was keen to be involved as soon as it heard the Hapori Fruit and Veg Box wanted to establish more hubs.

Anyone can order a box online each week, either on a regular subscription basis or just when needed.

“People are blown away by what they can get for $15,” Kristy says.

“Our core work is to support those going through a tough time with free and low-cost clothes and bedding, but this is for everybody because everybody is feeling the cost of food.

She says a lot of the people who have picked up veges are working, but it’s possible to be working in a two-parent home and still struggling with the cost of food.

“If we can help alleviate it a little bit and get good food into people it will have a knock-on effect in a good way.”

At this stage the Richmond hub receives and gives out boxes of fruit and vegetables on a Wednesday and Kristy says it can handle up to about 100 orders.

If demand exceeds that, it will look at adding another day.

Helping Families Nelson receives a portion of the $15 for every order and Kristy says that provides the charity with another income stream to help struggling families.

Sign up at www.hapori.org.nz