Stories

For Evangeline, a Plimmerton resident whose property has been affected in the recent flood, the sight of a Red Cross volunteer came as huge relief.

For husband and wife Garry and Janice Graham delivering Meals on Wheels is a team effort: one drives while the other drops off the meals. It’s an ideal system the couple has perfected over the many years volunteering with New Zealand Red Cross.

Chetan Arekar’s journey to New Zealand was only meant to last three months. However, due to COVID-19, he found himself stuck here longer than excepted - seven months to be exact, without work and with no way of getting home. He was relieved to find out about the support available through Visitor Care Manaaki Manuhiri. 

Thousands of dedicated Kiwis make up our New Zealand Red Cross whānau. Dunedin Disaster Welfare and Support Team (DWST) member, Glyn Saunders, is one of them. He talks about his work with Red Cross.

New Zealand Red Cross whānau is composed of thousands of Kiwis dedicated to help people in need in the community. One of them is Tauranga Disaster Welfare and Support Team (DWST) member Nick Webb who is currently supporting the Visitor Care Manaaki Manuhiri project.

Having received a lot of support from the community, Chris Hamilton returns the favour by helping the local Red Cross Shop and giving a smile to those who need it most.

Shaun Greaves is the General Manager Humanitarian Development at New Zealand Red Cross and has a long history of leading amazing Kiwis who are giving their time and energy to volunteer. This National Volunteer Week, Shaun considers how volunteering has evolved and why it’s still so important. 

This National Volunteer Week, 21 to 27 June, New Zealand Red Cross recognises the immense contribution of volunteers during times of crisis like COVID-19, and every day in their communities.

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.

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. 

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.