The 'Hope for Tonga' campaign's Pasifika fundraising event at the Palm and Pawn Hotel raised over $25,000 last month, where 500 people showed up in support, surpassing donation expectations.

That money has gone into purchasing non-perishable foods and crucial goods like water pumps, white-goods and electronics designated for specific families of Wagga's Tongan community, medical clinics and schools.

Two shipping containers will depart Wagga in the coming days, headed for Tonga's main island, then Vava'u and 'Eut, with the generous help of Wagga's Ron Crouch Transport and Melbourne's Quay Shipping Australia.

According to co-organiser Emma Fekeila, many of those packing goods for their families only arrived in the country a few months ago on the government's PALM worker scheme.

"They were here not long and then the tsunami," she said.

"A lot of them were hit quite hard, already being homesick."

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Fellow co-organiser Penisimani Toia, who packed goods for his mother and brother in Tonga today, said he'll be glad to see the containers finally shipped off after months of collective efforts.

"We don't have a day off," he said.

Goods are marked with family names and phone numbers, and those receiving shipments are being encouraged to share their experience via the 'Tonga in Wagga' Facebook page - providing updates for those in the local community who donated.

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