About Us
The Compassion Soup Kitchen – Te Pūaroha has been operating in Wellington’s inner city Te Aro area for 120 years and currently serves around 100-120 meals a day at breakfast and dinnertime. No one has ever been turned away from The Compassion Soup Kitchen due to a lack of food! Even during COVID-19 lockdown, we continued to provide food to Te Whanganui-a-Tara – in fact we had a jump in demand. Instead of the usual hot meals served in our dining room, we moved to one takeaway service per day and cooked extra to provide kai for other Wellington agencies that support people experiencing homelessness.
Our team working during Level 4 lockdown 2020.
What do the guests have in common?
The whanau come to the Compassion Soup Kitchen to connect with others over a tasty and nutritious meal.
Who can come for a meal?
Anyone! Some guests are experiencing homelessness, some are experiencing isolation and value the friendship of others, some are experiencing health issues and addictions, and some need support through a period of crisis.
How much does it cost?
Breakfast and dinner is free. We do have a koha box available if people wish to donate.
What’s on the menu?
In the mornings hot soup and bread is served. The evening meals are ‘family style’ meals – for example, roast pork and vegetables, chicken and pasta, stews and vegetables. There is dessert most nights and fresh fruit is served whenever it is available.
What else happens at the Soup Kitchen?
The Compassion Soup Kitchen has dedicated support workers who work one-on-one with guests to help them accessing benefits and housing. The support workers also help guests find services to meet health needs, such as counselling, anger management, addiction or mental health support.
Sewing – Weekly on Wednesdays from 9am to 11am. Please check availability.
Haircuts – Fortnightly haircuts, every second Wednesday morning, from 8am. Please check availability.
Nurse is available onsite every Thursday, from 4:45pm until 5:45pm.
Creative writing – Every Friday from 9am.
Mobile laundry & shower service – Weekly on Fridays from 7:30am until 10:30am. Saturdays from 3:30pm to 6:00pm, with the option of sitting down for a chat & a board game with the volunteers whilst waiting for your laundry to finish.
Sister Telesia in our māra.
