First Common blankets donated to Wesley Community Action!
The first community organisation sharing our blankets with Kiwi families is Wesley Community Action based in Porirua. We had WCA in mind to donate to well before we had any blankets to give - which is why it feels so exciting to have handed over 20 blankets to them last week!
Wesley Community Action is built on the belief that whānau and communities are the experts in their own lives. Therefore, rather than trying to solve their problems for them, WCA supports people to identify their strengths and skills and find their own solutions. By helping people to build better lives for themselves, they then lead the lives they choose and value, and enjoy all four key elements of a good life.
WCA describes these four elements of a good life as a connected and supportive whānau, good food, financial stability, and warm, safe and dry housing. They work with people throughout the greater Wellington region from all stages of life, from supporting whānau before their babies are born to helping vulnerable older people stay living in the community.
One of the ongoing challenges for people in our community is the housing crisis in New Zealand. Rents are so high that once paid there is often not much money left over and the Housing NZ waiting list is so long that some families are in emergency housing for up to a year before they get permanent housing. Being in emergency housing means that you have deemed yourself homeless and have nowhere else to go. Understandably, this period of time is incredibly stressful because you have to provide evidence to WINZ that you are actively searching for a house and you have to provide quotes for motels in your local area. Pip Dorn, Whānau Worker at Wesley Community Action said, “Families in this situation have a whole lot of pressure upon them, and inevitably the stress affects their children. We see more and more children without everything they need to thrive.”
Winter adds extra expenses, with many families struggling to heat their homes on top of rent and food. Pip said, “Most of our whanau in Family Start and Mana Whānau really struggle to source items they need for their baby and we gather these resources from other community services such as the Nest Collective.”
The Common blankets will be offered to the community through two of WCA’s programs - Te Kākano / Family Start and Mana Whānau, both of which provide in-home support to whānau who are finding it hard to give their tamariki the care and support they need. We hope that as CommonKind grows we can continue to provide blankets and other useful woolen items to the WCA community too.
Want to support Wesley Community Action’s mahi? You can donate directly to them through their website or you could get involved in their innovative new funding model called Just Change. You can also join the Wellington Region Fruit & Vege Co-op, which operates in 11 communities throughout Wellington – or volunteer to pack bags.
