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Ruby a gem of the local community

Kāinga Ora customer Ruby is paddling away happily on a ‘waka of change’.

Ruby says she has turned her life around in the past five years since she moved from emergency housing into her Kāinga Ora home with her now 10-year-old and 17-year-old sons. cook kai. Now those voluntary stints have led to permanent part time employment with the school, where she is continuing to help run the Garden to Table

New homes for whānau

May marked a turning point for dozens of whānau across the country, as they moved into new Kāinga Ora homes that will bring them greater stability and a new sense of belonging. ‘cook properly and sit at a table’’. “It’s nice to be somewhere warm and have my own space again,’’ says a tenant who moved into one of 16 new Kāinga Ora homes

Local students brighten holidays with handmade Christmas cards for the community

The festive season started with a special surprise for over 250 customers and their neighbours, hand-delivered by Kāinga Ora staff early December. . It is such an honour that local school students used their creativity and time to create this, and the cards are now sitting prominently on our kitchen tables. It makes us

Kevin’s journey: from living in his car to giving back to his community

When Kevin was living in his car, watching an apartment complex rise across the road, he never imagined he’d one day call it home or become the go-to guy for his neighbours. ate dried food or chips. That made me understand how much people struggle to put food on the table.” Then came the text from that he has never deleted: “Come

Downsizing no barrier to creating supreme garden

In just over a year, Auckland customer Lagi has transformed the outside of her Kāinga Ora home into an oasis of hibiscus and Christmas lilies. is a true inspiration for anyone interested in a garden to table approach to cooking.  Best junior gardener – Issac, Auckland  We were moved by 10-year old

Home for Christmas – Feona’s early gift

Feona has picked out the perfect spot for her Christmas tree this year. to put on the coffee table her sister made her.   “I’m going to have my little tree with battery driven lights, and my bottle of bubbly and a bit of pork

A place to put down roots

Just a few weeks after moving into their newly renovated home in Greymouth, Michelle and Ché have settled in so well that they’re already planning their new garden. table. It’s a beautiful garden,” Michelle says. The couple, both of whom live with significant health conditions, recently moved to their new home with their 10

Marvellous Margaret celebrates 100th birthday

It’s a very special week for Margaret, a long-time Kāinga Ora customer. Surrounded by her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren – many travelling from overseas for the special occasion – Margaret celebrated an incredible milestone: her 100th birthday. Peggy’s home wouldn’t take me long at all, as it was always perfectly clean, but I always allowed extra time to have a cuppa with her. She always had very

Self-sown and supreme: How a Greenlane garden grew

Congratulations to our Greenlane customer David, whose paradise of palms, succulents and native plants has earned the top award in this year’s Great Gardens of Kāinga Ora competition. the family table. Best community gardener – Leana, Palmerston North We featured Leana’s story in our Spring issue of Close to Home, and with good reason – we’ve

New homes bring a fresh start for Gisborne whānau

Whanau are now moving into eight new social homes in central Gisborne. For Heather (Tūhoe), one of the new tenants, the home marks a significant turning point. “If it wasn’t for my moko, I would have probably stayed in the caravan,” she says. running down the windows. Now I can cook properly and eat at a table, instead of sitting on the bed,” she says. “I can imagine my moko in here playing with all his

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