TFK honoured as key contributor in the Mitre 10 New Zealand Community of the Year Award

Taskforce Kiwi was honoured to represent Cyclone Gabrielle Volunteers by accepting the Mitre 10 New Zealand Community Of The Year Award at the 2024 Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Awards

This award was awarded to all those across the motu who volunteered to help others in the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle, and TFK was represented by our Founder and National Director, Richard Adams, who was joined by Tua Teio, the founder of Auckland-based charity Awhi Shed, to speak on behalf of volunteers and receive the award. 

Severe Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle devastated parts of the North Island of New Zealand in February 2023, with the Hawke’s Bay area one of the hardest hit. Some areas of the region are still in the process of recovery one year on.

In the immediate wake of Cyclone Gabrielle's devastation, Taskforce Kiwi (TFK) quickly mobilised and played a key role in the response and ongoing recovery. 

Working with Hawkes Bay Civil Defence and Emergency Management, Ngāti Kahungunu, and Federated Farmers, TFK deployed 165 volunteers who carried out 4,649 hours of skilled labour to assist impacted communities. The tasks included missing persons searches, damage and needs assessments, aid collection and distribution, and debris clearance on public land, farmland, marae, and private property. 

As well as Kiwi volunteers, Taskforce Kiwi was supported by 60 international volunteers who travelled from partner organisations in Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, and the United States of America, a truly international effort all at no cost to impacted communities.

Taskforce Kiwi was only one of many organisations working to support those impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle, and it was the collective effort from multiple organisations and individuals that this award recognises. 

"We are immensely proud to be recognised as part of the Mitre 10 New Zealand Community of the Year Award," said Richard Adams, founder and National Director of Taskforce Kiwi. "This award is a big deal for the thousands of Kiwi’s that stood up, and is a tribute to their tireless efforts, and to the incredible resilience of the community. Collectively, we have shown that in times of disaster, we stand stronger when we stand together."

Through coordinated relief efforts, volunteer groups have exemplified the spirit of community and solidarity, embodying the values that define the heart of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Taskforce Kiwi extends its deepest gratitude to Mitre 10 and Kiwibank for their support and recognition of all Cyclone Gabrielle volunteers, as well as the other semi-finalists recognised as part of the awards process. This includes four of their own volunteers; Jenny Calder, Wendy Paton, and Maureen Duffy (Local Hero Medalists), and Dr Maia Tipene (Local Hero Medalist and Young New Zealander of the Year Semi-Finalist), who were all celebrated for their contribution to Taskforce Kiwi’s mahi in Hawke’s Bay. 

As TFK continues its mission to provide relief to communities in times of crisis, the organisation reflects on the hard work, dedication, and sacrifice its volunteers have made over the past year to help others on their darkest day.