Meet the 2021 ProCare Charitable Foundation Recipients
Auckland City Mission
Project: providing takeaway meal packs for Aucklanders experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity
Auckland City Mission supports thousands of individuals and families in crisis each year by providing unique and specialised health and social services to marginalised Aucklanders. The 2020 ProCare grant contributed to approximately 48,000 food parcels distributed to Aucklanders in need, as well as supporting the Wāhine Dinners. This year the funding will provide takeaway meal packs for people experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity and unable to feed themselves during lockdown for the month of December.
I got your back pack
Project: backpacks for Aucklanders who have been through domestic violence issues
This organisation provides backpacks for people who have been through domestic violence issues. Many have often left their homes with absolutely nothing. Packs include basic toiletries, clothing, snacks, comfort items. Children’s packs include reading books, toys, coloring books etc, all in a backpack so they are able to use at school. They also accommodate baby packs. A great deal of the people receiving the back packs are in a poverty situation and in communities where there are higher needs in inequalities/minorities.
2Shine
Project: wages for frontline advocates in the Greater Auckland Region
Funding will be used to enable 2Shine to maintain their current staffing levels, so they can be there to support victims of domestic violence on Auckland’s North Shore and Auckland Central. All their advocates are qualified professionals. They help victims complete a safety assessment to assist them with what they need. There is an advocate for each client to aide them with the support the person needs now or in the future. Examples include: emergency accommodation, legal services, counselling etc.
Fair Food
Project: supporting families and reaching out to local iwi to be able to support food resilience in the North West of Auckland.
Fair Food is a food rescue organisation. They collect surplus food from the local supply chain, being from food growers, distributers and retailers such as supermarkets. Items are hand sorted food by volunteers and allocated to registered charities working within the Region. They partner with over 50 frontline community groups who create and distribute food parcels for families and whanau experiencing food insecurity or food poverty.
Orange Sky
Project: launching the second mobile laundry and shower service in Auckland.
Orange Sky provides a free laundry service, warm showers and genuine conversation to people experiencing homelessness. By offering these services and hygiene products, they provide care and support for peoples most basic physical human needs and raise the standards of health for people experiencing homelessness, inequity and disadvantage. They create a safe, positive and supportive environment to do so. By offering genuine connection and conversation, they help to reduce the social isolation felt by people who are often ignored or disconnected, and in turn improving mental health and wellbeing.
Women’s Centre
Project: Promoting health & well-being to Auckland women experiencing distress and seeking assistance with immediate needs.
Funding will support Women’s Centre staff and volunteers provide intensive face-to-face or telephone support to women experiencing distress and seeking assistance with immediate needs. Empathetic listening, support and validation are provided, information is given, and referrals are made to specialised crisis care services. They provide an essential service supporting women who phone in looking for advice, referral and at times short term crisis support. Each year there are up to 3,485 women needing the assistance of the Women’s Centre.