Stories

New Zealand Red Cross is scaling up at speed to address the urgent needs of people on temporary visas in Aotearoa New Zealand who are experiencing serious hardship due to COVID-19.

When the Red Cross team knocked on her door in Masterton one Saturday afternoon, Margaret Mckenchie—then in the middle of having a late lunch—admits that she was taken aback.

Information on Visitor Care Manaaki Manuhiri (Foreign Nationals Impacted By COVID-19 Programme) and how to access assistance through New Zealand Red Cross. 

David Pennington, a New Zealand Red Cross Disaster Welfare and Support Team member, was one of the first volunteers in Aotearoa to come face to face with the threat of COVID-19 while providing psychosocial support to people in quarantine at Whangaparāoa. He shares what he learnt about the importance of psychosocial support.   

While 86-year-old Ian has supported countless former refugee families over the years and has become like a grandfather to many, during the lockdown, he has received as much support as he had given.

Her journey to New Zealand as a refugee hasn’t been an easy one but today, as a chef for Compassion Soup Kitchen and an essential worker during the lockdown, Suzanne* has found her purpose feeding hundreds of people in need in Wellington.

While most Kiwis stayed at home during COVID-19 Alert Level 4, our Disaster Welfare and Support Team in Whanganui stepped out of their bubble to provide an essential service to the community. 

While some of our volunteers are on the physical front lines, our volunteers also on the phone, looking after people who are staying at home. 

Red Cross volunteers and staff are using video calling and messaging apps to support newly arrived refugee families amid the ongoing COVID-19 response. 

Vera Farrant says it was ‘wonderful news’ to hear that our Meals on Wheels service was continuing during COVID-19 Alert Level 4.

Weeks before New Zealand headed into lockdown, Red Cross volunteers were already supporting people impacted by COVID-19, offering comfort, care and a friendly ear to Lily and 157 other evacuees from Wuhan, China.  

As our work supporting former refugees in New Zealand has been deemed an ‘essential’ service during the COVID-19 lockdown, Red Cross staff and volunteers are ensuring refugee background communities continue to receive support.