Community Centre welcomes Foodbank in move to support Kāpiti not-for-profits

Kāpiti Coast District Council has welcomed new tenants Kāpiti Community Foodbank to the Te Newhanga Kāpiti Community Centre.

The move to Te Newhanga is part of a process to transition the Centre’s services to better support the community in the wake of COVID-19.

“Te Newhanga is a valued community asset and we’ve been working to explore the potential for it to be used in different ways to support the changing needs of Kāpiti,” says Janice McDougall, Group Manager People and Partnerships.

“COVID-19 is different from any event we have experienced before and the full impacts have yet to be felt. We know that new pressures on households will increase hardship on the Kāpiti Coast, and our local community and social services are bracing for impact. To best support our community, it’s vital that these services are connected and collaborating.

“This is why we will be transitioning the Centre to a community services hub that will bring our not-for-profit community sector together and establish and strengthen programmes that focus on food security and community resilience. Expect to see new programmes and outreach style services, and increased access to key community organisations and their services. 

“As our first step towards establishing the hub, we are absolutely delighted to welcome the Kāpiti Community Foodbank to the Community Centre,” says Ms McDougall.

“We worked very closely with Council during the lockdown and while the generosity from our community just has not stopped, our most pressing need was finding new premises,” says Kerry Lovell, Kāpiti Community Foodbank co-ordinator.

“At present we are seeing about 10 families a day coming in needing food parcels and since COVID-19 we are seeing new faces and families that have never accessed services like ours before. The Community Centre gives us more space to help, and is safer and warmer for our volunteers and visitors.”

The move follows remedial works at the Centre to temporarily address weather-tightness issues which were identified following an investigation by Miyamoto Building Surveying in 2019.

Council has worked closely with Miyamoto Building Surveying and upon further review of the initial report and more detailed engagement, have clarified that a number of remedial and maintenance works will ensure the Centre can continue to remain open safely, with a Management Control Plan in place.

The remedial work includes roof repairs, fixing leaks, improving ventilation, and sealing door frames.

The Centre’s room hire function, which will recommence in August, will still be available to community organisations and groups.

The Foodbank will open their new doors to the community from Monday 27 July.  Opening hours are 10am-12pm Monday to Friday. Entry is via the southern door at 15a Ngahina Street in Paraparaumu.