The charity run by community leader Dave Letele has received a lifeline after being forced to cut its support for 500 families due to a lack of government funding.
The boxer turned community leader and his organisation, BBM Motivation, offer vital services for communities across the country – "helping people achieve their personal health, fitness, and life goals".
The group runs three gyms in west and south Auckland, a community kitchen in Manukau, a "social supermarket" in Tokoroa and a food bank in Wiri.
However, things have been difficult for the organisation recently. Last week, Letele told RNZ his foodbank would have to cut 500 families due to a lack of government funding.
Speaking to 1News he said: "Things were getting sketchy, and that's the truth of it.
"Things were getting very, very sketchy with how long we could continue to do what we're doing."
However, BBM has now received a lifeline – signing a multi-year agreement with Z Energy, which will help the organisation with running costs and fuel expenses.
Letele said he got the email last Monday and "almost fell off my chair" while reading it.
"It's probably our biggest single thing that we've had, even bigger than the government, you know, which shows how little we get from the government," he said. "I almost cried when I read the email."
He said that while it won't alleviate everything, "it takes a huge weight off my shoulders".
"It's less focus on hustling for funding and more focus on the actual work.
"There's still a lot of hustle that's required, but it just makes it a little bit, a little bit more breathing room."
Letele said Z was a trusted brand with values that aligned with BBM.
He'd previously worked with the business as part of their Good in the Hood programme.
"It was just amazing, both community and business working together to help people. That's what it's all about."
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