50,647
food parcels distributed to families & individuals in greatest need*
See who we see
Homeless, not hopeless.
Over the coming weeks we will share stories of something we see daily at the Mission; resilience, courage, charm and hope. We see people who have faced huge adversity, and are still showing up in their lives the best way they can. Our hope is that you will start to see these people as people, and encourage others to do the same.
“Everyone who experiences homelessness is a complete person, deserving of our love and our care just the same as everyone else. They used to be your neighbour, they use to be your shopkeeper. They were a teacher at your school, they coached your local team at one point in their lives. They are someone’s aunty, or brother or dad. It could happen to any of us. We are all just one major life event away from being homeless.” – Samara Tohilima, Street to Home manager.
Mandy's story
After a lifetime on the streets, Mandy is now living in an apartment at HomeGround – the first place she has ever felt safe. For Mandy, HomeGround is somewhere to heal after a lifetime of fear, loneliness, and suffering. Mandy had a traumatic start to life. Her childhood was marred by domestic violence, neglect and her parents’ struggle with addiction. Her mother never bonded with her, and Mandy always felt unwanted. While she was close to her father, he was sent to prison when she was only eight years old, which was deeply upsetting and frightening. At the age of ten, Mandy ran away from home. “I was more alone in that house than living at the city bus station. I knew how to look after myself because I’d always had to. What I ran away from was the unhappiness of not being wanted.”
Kevin's story
Kevin was happily married with three children when tragedy happened. His wife was killed in a road accident. His children were all under the age of 9. “My beautiful wife was a wonderful person, companion and mother. She was outgoing and loved life. Our world just stopped.” “The emotional pressure on myself and the children was so hard – I had to keep going and focus on my children and their education – that’s what my wife would have wanted,” said Kevin. While Kevin concentrated on providing for his family, he was also battling with his own emotional issues, and the grief and the trauma of losing his wife. Kevin held it together until his children were old enough to stand on their own two feet. But in 2006 life just became too much – he was overwhelmed by grief and anxiety. He made the conscious decision to walk away from everything. He found himself living on the streets of Auckland.
In the last year, generous
people like you have
helped Aucklanders in need...
20,174
health consultations at Calder Health Centre*
1,314
drug and alcohol
assessments