As a Māori/Community charitable organisation, it is important to us that our communities are, and will remain, supported and have access to the necessities of life, (kai, tautoko, and aroha). These challenges allow us to demonstrate our organisation’s ability and resilience in this unprecedented environment. 

Over several months, we have been working very closely with whānau and other social agencies, trying to ensure that there's more flexibility around responding to the needs of whānau.

A recent survey conducted at the beginning of alert level 4 found nearly 13,000 whānau couldn't afford food during this Covid-19 lockdown period. Most stated they wanted assistance with kai, power, and medical support.

As a response to this, we have been operating an essential service in the provision and delivery of over 200 food packs, grocery vouchers, fundamental supplies, mobile data packs, and social support for whānau in the Waitaha/Canterbury Takiwā.

This unanticipated circumstance has placed significant pressure on households. A significant number of our families had been in employment up until this point, and due to Covid-19 lockdown, have either lost their job or their work continuation is now uncertain or, because of their health vulnerability it meant that they were no longer able to continue in their work.