A Tauranga Facebook page looking to help struggling families is on the hunt for a major sponsor and central hub as it eyes plans to register as a charity.

In the last four months, Pay It Forward Koha Aotearoa has blossomed into a popular and selfless group helping gift families with donated food, clothes, furniture and toys, with a big push around Christmas.

Pay it Forward co-founder Leanne Hollinshead. Photo: Bruce Barnard.

Now stretching from Te Puna to Maketu, the Pay it Forward concept - a not for profit group - is in need of a central hub to expand their services.

Pay it Forward co-founder Leanne Hollinshead says it has grown so quickly that they also needed to register as a charity to be able to get grants to help find premises.

Since its inception, the group is 18-strong and have more than 5000 members New Zealand wide.

In the meantime they are looking for a major sponsor in Tauranga that has an empty shop or shed located on a bus route for the group to work out of.

Currently donated goods are stored across the city.

'We are currently non-funded and want to move into premises first, then we will finish off all applications to meet all the not-for-profit criteria for a charity,” says Leanne.

'We currently have no means to pay for a lease or rent as all our team currently volunteer their time, petrol and buy groceries for strangers in need out of our own pockets as well as donations from our community.”

Leanne says a truck is also needed, twice a week, to pick up and drop off household goods while a car would help visit families in need of donation

'We have a team ready to move in,” she adds. 'We have a budget advisor to run free workshops, a cook for cooking lessons, councillors to help find support needed as well as furniture, household items, clothes and food to help families in financial need.”

Those who receive help are required to fill out a form as one part of the group's protection against scammers.

During Christmas the group worked tirelessly to deliver some Christmas cheer to more than 40 under privileged families, with 250 people registering to donate goods.

'What makes us different to charities out there?” asks Leanne. 'We are run by the community for the community and a wide range of backgrounds and skills.

'All of us share the same goal and that is to help our community.”

For more information on Pay It Forward Koha Aotearoa click here.