Wellington’s Compassion Soup Kitchen is responding to the increasing need, and is running seven days a week, rather than its normal six.
It is considered an “essential service”.
“We will provide kai for as long as we possibly can,” the Compassion Soup Kitchen management say in a statement.
The Compassion Soup Kitchen has moved to provide one nourishing takeaway meal a day, served to the whānau from 1.30 pm to 2.30 pm.”
The whānau have been encouraged to swap phone numbers so that they can stay in contact with each other during this difficult time.
Staff are keeping whānau informed about what Alert Level 4 means for day-to-day life.
There are two kitchen teams to reduce contact and staff were wearing personal protective equipment as well as keeping two metres apart.
The Soup Kitchen is also providing prepared meals for the Wellington Night Shelter which was reporting a higher than normal volume of people wanting meals.
The Wellington City Mission continue to distribute food parcels through the front door of The Mission with appropriate physical distancing measures in place.
Staff are using our fleet of vehicles for the delivery of food parcels to peoples’ doorsteps.
Wellington City Missioner Murray Edridge said all public toilets and showers had closed, providing another challenge for the homeless to keep clean.
“If this goes on for four weeks or longer – what do we do?”
Eldridge said the mission had been working to provide alternative accommodation and was working to reduce the number of people in night shelters.
Auckland City Mission cancelled its daily free meals for around 300 people because of the risks of having a large crowd indoors.
It is instead running a takeaway food service, which will be available between 11 am and 1 pm.
“Alongside other agencies, we’re currently working through the practicalities of how we can continue to help people in need of emergency accommodation. said Auckland City Missioner Chris Farrelly.”
“We currently work with around 400 emergency housing suppliers each day to support over 2600 households with their urgent housing needs.”
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