Visionwest Waka Whakakitenga have released their latest community Impact Report. The One Hundred Whānau Food and Financial Hardship Report is based on the findings of an in-depth survey and interviews of 100 randomly selected Visionwest clients,...
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Whata Manaaki Opening
On Wednesday 10 November, Whata Manaaki, our new food and goods warehouse, was officially opened. The extra space Whata Manaaki provides will enable us to hold more kai at any one time and function as an effective distributor of food to those who...
More Than Food
Many of the people who access Visionwest’s wraparound support services have no family and limited social networks. Their lives are confined to a small space both geographically and socially. For many years, community dinners were held at the Glen...
The Increased Cost of Living – we’re all feeling it
With food prices reported to be up 8.3%, rental costs escalating and petrol prices at an all-time high, the impact of the increased cost of living on West Auckland families cannot be overestimated. In Visionwest’s Community Trust’s recent “Whānau...
Alanda’s Story – support and guidance makes all the difference
Ask Alanda what life was like a couple of years ago and she will speak of family stress and the incredible difficulty she and her husband had trying to make ends meet. Like many families throughout Aotearoa New Zealand today, they had a steady...
A Path Out of Homelessness – Damon’s Story
Prior to lockdown, Damon* had been sleeping rough for a long time. His sister had noticed his declining health and wellbeing and became so concerned that she urged him to visit Visionwest. The reluctance Damon felt when he first visited...
Shannon’s Food Support Lifeline
Shannon* had been receiving food parcels from Visionwest’s Pātaka Kai to help her through a really tough time. Shannon is a single mum who, whilst looking for work, found herself struggling to make ends meet. Rising living costs and increasing rent...
Jody’s Story – Community Connection
Jody* is too unwell and vulnerable to work but in order to access the government support she needs, she had to complete an online application form. For Jody this was a major barrier. She doesn’t own a computer and has no idea what an online form...
Christmas Transformed – 5 Days of Christmas
For the second year in a row, Visionwest joined with the Auckland City Mission and Glen Eden Baptist Church to create Christmas for whānau throughout West Auckland. For an increasing number of whānau, Christmas may be like any other day with gifts...
Can Drive for Pātaka Kai
“The new normal” is a phrase that has been used a lot this year. For most of us, this new normal has brought a range of challenges but has also created a space to reassess and reflect on things that are important: family, friends, and a better...