April 03, 2020
Council welfare service could plug iwi gap
Tāmaki Makaurau MP Peeni Henare believes many of his constituents will benefit from an Auckland Council initiative to help people struggling to access basic household supplies.
Aucklanders suffering because of job losses or hardship can call Auckland Emergency Management on 0800 22 22 96.
If they meet eligibility criteria they will be couriered a welfare parcel containing items such as dry goods including pasta and rice, tinned vegetables and meats and basic toiletries.
Mr Henare, who is also Minister for Civil Defence, says it’s similar to other hubs around the country, and also to work being done by iwi.
"For a lot of our whānau here in Tāmaki Makaurau, that iwi connection isn't there or the iwi is outside of Tāmaki which makes it even harder, so the ability to do that is a good one and I applaud council on those moves. I would encourage as many Māori as possible who need that service to reach out," he says.
The data collected by Auckland Council on who the service is dealing with could inform further planning as the COVID-19 lockdown evolves.
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