A $20,000 community grant from Mercury will help Porirua Whānau Centre provide direct support to whānau facing hardship across Cannons Creek and the wider Wellington region.
The funding will go towards practical support including care packages and emergency supply kits for families experiencing sudden financial pressure.
Porirua Whānau Centre Chief Executive Liz Kelly says the grant reflects a relationship built over several years between the charity and Mercury.
“This relationship has grown out of years of Mercury genuinely turning up for our community, so we’re extremely appreciative of the extra support,” she says.
The partnership began through Mercury’s Here to Help programme, which has worked alongside the Whānau Centre to help whānau stay connected to power when previous credit issues may have prevented them from securing an electricity connection.
“Power is one of those things people don’t talk about until they don’t have it,” Kelly says.
“Mercury has patiently worked with us for years to help whānau who’d otherwise be locked out because of a bad credit history can still get connected. That’s a good community partner.”
Porirua Whānau Centre is a kaupapa Māori community hub supporting whānau throughout the greater Wellington region through services including housing support, budget facilitation, early childhood education and wider wraparound assistance.
Kelly says the additional funding will make a practical difference for families who need support.
“We’re grateful Mercury sees the value in what we do here every day.
“We appreciate this isn’t a life changing amount, but anything extra we can put towards supporting our whānau and community is money well spent.”
Mercury says the grant is part of its ongoing commitment to supporting communities and organisations that provide essential services for local families.