Read stories about the work that we do in New Zealand. Our members, volunteers and the people that we help all have a unique story to tell.
New Zealand Red Cross is reviving the Red Cross Parcel, an iconic symbol of hope, to provide Kiwis with a boost during COVID-19.
From June 2020, Red Cross Parcels will be gifted to some of the people we support who might appreciate a little kindness during these tough COVID-19 times. But the story of Red Cross Parcels, and the hope they bring, begins more than a century ago.
Helping refugee-background young people settle in New Zealand is a key part of our work in Aotearoa. Support from Farmers Trading Company after the attacks on 15 March meant we could provide long-term and direct support to young people.
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.
Justine Smith has spent the past year volunteering at least one day a week to help keep the Red Cross Shop in Richmond in tip-top shape. Besides that, she also actively supports the local shop as one of its regular customers.
For Feras Abbas, a former refugee, the journey to employment in Aotearoa has been about using old skills in a new way.
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.
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 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.
