We’ve seen a massive increase in demand for our services. We’re now providing 2,500 more meals each month. That translates to a lot more people facing hardship and hunger.

I’m not sure if you’ve seen our humble Tory Street location?  If you have, you’ll know it’s not big and it’s not flash. For our team to keep turning over this volume of meals to needy whānau every day – it blows me away.  I’d like to say a huge thank you for everything you continue to do to make that possible, because without your help we simply couldn’t do it.

Your kind support allows us to provide whānau with vital nourishment, but it also provides a means of connection with their community and access to wider social service support.

Being homeless is no walk in the park, it is tough especially in Wellington with our relentless wind and wild weather. As whānau struggle with the day-to-day problems of shelter, food and safety, the additional effort and expense required for personal hygiene can naturally fall by the wayside.

Bear with me for a minute and try to imagine something … Imagine, you’ve lost the security of home.  You’re cold, hungry, you’re trying to find a safe spot to hunker down for the night and to top it off, you’ve got a nagging toothache.

There is nothing quite like dental pain is there?! It can jolt you from sleep and a misjudged bite can reduce even the sturdiest among us to tears.  Sadly, among our Compassion Soup Kitchen whānau it’s a common story.

From time to time, as resources have allowed, we have provided whānau with basic hygiene packs. The packs contain things such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, razors, and warm socks – essentials that most of us take for granted.  But for someone struggling to get by on the streets these small items can make all the difference.

But, I’ve got to tell you; our resources are stretched to the limit right now. With sky high food prices and higher demand than ever before we are struggling just to feed the many hungry whānau who come to our door, let alone provide any “extras”.

For as little as $50 you can supply a whānau member with a comprehensive hygiene pack.  Packs are tailored to the whānau member’s needs so that resources are not wasted.

Here’s a photo of some of the items we include in our packs.

Basic personal hygiene plays a pivotal role in maintaining a sense of dignity and preserving our overall health and well-being.  For this reason, I would love to have hygiene packs available for all our whānau to access.

Please consider making a donation today.  You could provide a warm meal or a hygiene pack to someone in your community who really needs it and make a tangible difference in someone’s life.

Sam Johnson
Kitchen Manager, Compassion Soup Kitchen

Please support our Soup Kitchen Appeal today

Ways to donate
Use our account name: Soup Kitchen Appeal
Account number: BNZ 02-1269-0046022-02
REF: Your name
CODE: Soup Kitchen

If you have any queries you can email us on donations@compassion.org.nz
Or call  04 595 5803.

Alternatively, you can post your donation to Soup Kitchen, PO Box 1474, Wellington 6140.