What does community mean to you?

Michael | Tūranganui-a-Kiwa

After turning his life around, Michael dedicates himself to feeding his community, embodying the spirit of community, inclusion, and manaakitanga.

I just wanted to change my life around cause I was getting into so much trouble and everything.

When I was drinking I was getting into so much fighting and doing things I shouldn’t be doing. And then my mum gave me a choice. And her choice was either you carry on or you go to jail. And when I heard that I said ‘ooh, that’s not me. I better turn my life around now.’ And I did.

Every Sunday night I run the homeless dinner. And with the homeless dinner we just feed whoever is hungry, and I’ll also feed all our old kaumātua, anyone that’s hungry, anyone that wants a feed I just tell them to rock on in.

I don’t turn my back on anyone. When I feed out, the front doors open. I get a lot of people coming in for a meal and also I’m getting a lot of children that are coming in as well, asking for a feed. And that’s why I won’t turn anyone away. I always say to them, ‘come forward, here’s the table, have a feed.’

I like what I’m doing because I get good vibes and I get good stories told to me by people that come down and that they’re all saying ‘thank you for feeding us.’ And I love it. I love what I’m doing.

The word community to me means coming together as one. Working together as one. Sharing your thoughts and sharing your ideas. And helping people out, no matter what.