Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) has launched Adopt-a-Community, a campaign which matches a council unaffected by Cyclone Gabrielle with a council and community badly hit.

Queenstown Lakes residents able to support the relief effort can now donate directly to one of the worst hit areas after the district was matched with Central Hawke's Bay.

Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) chief executive Mike Theelen said Adopt a Community was a nationwide initiative that connects councils with some of the most devastated regions.

“Like many affected areas, Central Hawke's Bay District Council has set up a Mayoral Relief Fund,” Mike said. 

“Being matched in this way provides an additional opportunity for our community to support another in their time of greatest need.

“It’s not difficult to think of a time when the boot might be on the other foot and we’d be reliant on other parts of the country helping us, so I would encourage anyone who has the means to consider making a donation in this way.”

Mike said the council will be looking at how it can offer Central Hawke's Bay medium and long-term support. 

“It will take many months for a disaster of this scale to be resolved at a practical level, let alone the years it will take for people to come to terms with its effects,” he said.

Donations to the Central Hawke's Bay Mayoral Relief Fund is the preferred method via Adopt a Community: use bank account number 01-0777-0038665-00 with the reference ‘Relief’. 

(If you bank with KiwiBank you may be asked to enter a property valuation number; if so simply enter ten zeros.) 

Alternatively, donations can also be made to Hawke’s Bay Disaster Relief Trust (02-0700-0010824-002).

PHOTO: RNZ/Tess Brunton