Be kind. Help each other.

March 24, 2020

With a nationwide lockdown imminent, it's natural to think of the safety and security of yourself, family and friends.

While it’s only natural for us to be thinking of ourselves, we encourage you to think of others who might not find themselves in such a secure position - who the lockdown might have a more serious effect on. Perhaps it's an elderly neighbor whose own family live out of town? Or someone whose living situation isn't conducive to the "staying at home" message?

While you are now required to stay at home, you can still help. Below are a handful of Wellington charities boxing on through this challenging period by providing food and shelter, and need your help to support our city's most vulnerable people.

Wellington City Mission

The Wellington City Mission will continue to supply food to those in need through the Covid-19 crisis, but your support is now needed more than ever. 

They will modify their daily meal service so people in the community can still get a nourishing daily meal, and modify their food parcel service to deliver these to people’s front door, rather than asking them to collect from the food bank. Their social workers will continue to maintain phone contact with people and families.

To support them in this difficult time, head here to donate. 

DCM Wellington

DCM Wellington are our neighbors! Their centre is next to the Visa Wellington On a Plate office and every day at 9am and 4pm they fill the laneway with a beautiful waiata. They do incredible work providing shelter and kai for Wellington's most vulnerable people.

After the Monday 23rd announcement, they are no longer able to invite people who are experiencing homelessness to spend time at DCM. Right now they are working hard to access phones for the most marginalised people in our city so that they can stay in contact with DCM and access their support by phone.

If you would like to help, $80 will buy a phone fit for this purpose. You can make a donation to their bank account - details here. 

You can still donate food via their food donation bin at New World Chaffers.

Compassion Soup Kitchen

As far as we know, The Compassion Soup Kitchen is still operating. Keep an eye on their Facebook page for updates. There are several ways to help. You can help stock their pantry with non-perishables, home baking and fresh vegetables to make meals for their guests or make a monetary donation (please contact them to see how they are managing the delivery of these donations).. Head here to donate now. 

The Compassion Soup Kitchen has closed only once in 118 years - for a period in 1927 - and was open during the 1918 Influenza epidemic, serviced by the Sisters of Compassion.

Kaibosh

Our official Visa Wellington On a Plate charity partner, Kaibosh Food Rescue, are happy to take food donations from restaurants only this Tuesday and Wednesday, but please read their guidelines here on what they can and can't take. By carefully sticking to these you'll make life a whole lot easier for them at this very busy time.

They are also unable to come and pick up, so restaurants will need to bring them to 11 Hopper Street - their door is down by the Kakapo mural.

Remember, be kind. Reach out to your neighbors. We will get through this together. Aroha nui. x