Restoring warmth, health and dignity.

Mikaere and Maria*, an elderly couple, had electrical wiring issues in their old home- it was so dangerous that could only use one electrical item at a time. A neighbour had arranged and paid for firewood to be delivered so that they could use the fireplace to keep the house warm in colder months. The same neighbour also offered the use of his freezer so that they could store meat, as they had no refrigeration of their own.

The cost to bring their home’s electrical services up to standard was a little over $7,000. However, the couple were afraid to ask for help from Work and Income, believing their home would be declared a fire hazard and unsafe to live in. They were also unable to take out a loan for repairs because their only income source was their pension. Mikaere and Maria had lived this way with no whānau support for nearly three years.

Fortunately, Te Whare was able to help. We covered the cost from our community discretionary fund and sourced a fridge freezer through the Salvation Army, while a staff member gifted the couple a chimney sweep of their fireplace. These simple changes made a huge difference to their quality of life. In the words of Mikaere, we took away his shame.

‘’I was embarrassed when you people came to my home. I wanted to send you away, my wife said, ‘take the help, we need help’. So, I let you, but I still felt the shame. But you know, you people did things so quickly and so quietly, my shame went away.”