WelCom, September 2024
Growing up in West Auckland and experiencing hardship firsthand, Kaira Mitchell developed a deep sense of empathy and understanding. As a support worker at the Compassion Soup Kitchen, she knows well the struggles of our whānau, the most vulnerable in our community.
Helping whānau with daily challenges they face is part of the Compassion Soup Kitchen ministry, which launched its appeal ‘So much more than a meal’ on 19 August. The theme is inspired by the conviction that conversation, compassion and caring are integral parts of the mission Meri Hōhepa Suzanne Aubert started 123 years ago.
In recent years, the demand for food and warm meals at the Compassion Soup Kitchen has increased. Many people come not just for a meal, but also for a sense of companionship or a moment of respite in lives, often marked by loneliness, poverty, abuse, addiction, and violence.
Kaira explains, ‘while some issues faced by whānau can be easily resolved, for example, someone needing something to keep warm,’ she estimates ‘around ten times a week’ she will need to refer someone for additional support, such as for housing, help with mental health, or other services.
‘Whānau can sometimes feel people don’t understand or respect them, and that’s where a lot of mistrust comes from,’ she says.
Kaira’s role as a support worker is to make the Compassion Soup Kitchen more than just a meal, and to help people feel accompanied, listened to and understood.
Continuing to offer ‘So much more than a meal’ depends on all of us – Sisters, staff, volunteers, supporters, people who pray, serve, and give of their time, money and skill.
Your support will help provide a space for some of the most marginalised and isolated members of our community to take a break from the relentless challenges of daily life. Even a small contribution will help Kaira and Compassion Soup Kitchen staff to continue to deliver conversation, compassion, and caring.
Appeal donations can be made at soupkitchen.org.nz