A new homeless centre with a capacity to house 50 people at a time, is to be operated by Catholic Charities Hawaii. The State of Hawaii paid US$750,000 to renovate a converted maintenance shed to house the centre. The Family Assessment Centre is located next to Kakaako Waterfront Park in Honolulu which has become at persistent Read more
Entire families joined the Park Up for Homes event in Ōtara’s town centre on Saturday night, organised by members of the community and staff at Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT). About 200 carloads of people showed up in the cold and rain, with many saying they hoped the demonstration would raise public awareness and encourage Read more
The homeless population of central Auckland is two-and-a-half times higher than it was three years ago, a new report says. The Auckland City Street Count of Central Auckland has found 177 people were sleeping rough within 3km of the Sky Tower on a single night this year. That’s the most recorded since the count began Read more
The Salvation Army says incorrect statements by the government last week have jeopardised its ability to work with the homeless. It said the government’s claims that Ministry of Social Development (MSD) staff accompanied Salvation Army staff to visit homeless people in a South Auckland park were incorrect. The prime minister’s office has issued a statement Read more
Last week, Te Puea Marae offered shelter to the homeless and now they have launched a support programme, Manaaki Tangata, for those looking for help. Marae board chair Hurimoana Dennis said they had approached the Ministry of Social development for financial aid but had yet to hear back. “It isn’t cheap but at the same time Read more
The Christchurch City Council provided $130,000 to the Methodist Mission to underwrite the leases on private rentals for homeless people, who weren’t able to secure the rentals themselves. The Methodist mission has taken the lease on six houses. The tenants pay rent, but the mission has committed to the landlord to pay any missed rent, Read more
Young Muslim women are helping to feed the homeless and in turn, crush negative perceptions of their faith. Members of Nisa – a group focused on women helping and empowering other women – volunteer their time to Christchurch charity Help for the Homeless once a month. University students Addeana Husaini, 19, Asayal Almutairi, 17 and Read more
Patrons of the Auckland City Mission are bringing an original script to the stage. Op Shop Dreams is a play about the ways in which people dream of a life different to their own. It’s being performed by The Hobson Street Theatre Company, a City Mission initiative which gives people, including the homeless, opportunities to Read more
On Friday Sister Catherine Hannan and Sister Marcellin Wilson will be sleeping out overnight for World Homeless Day. The sleep-out is being organised by Wellington’s many agencies collaborating to help raise funds and awareness about the reality of homelessness in New Zealand. “We are both witnessing and fund raising as well, so I am asking Read more
A young Alabama boy brought a group of Waffle House diners to tears when he asked his mother to buy dinner for a homeless man he saw outside – and then sang a blessing with him at the table. Ava Faulk said her son Josiah Duncan, 5, wouldn’t stop asking her questions when he spotted Read more