But the birthday celebrations coincided with the release of a sobering figure.
Tauranga mayor Tenby Powell revealed the Mayoral Taskforce on Homelessness had discovered there were 4000 homeless people in Tauranga during the lockdown period.
Awhina House general manager Angela Wallace and chairwoman Tania Lewis-Rickard celebrated the shelter's first birthday with 80 people. Photo / Supplied
He said the work of Awhina House was "critical" in the ultimate goal of preventing homelessness.
Awhina House general manager Angela Wallace said, since opening its doors last year, 50 women from "various types of homelessness" had moved through the transitional accommodation and into their own accommodation.
Most of the women came from homelessness, including sleeping in cars or couch surfing, Wallace said.
She said they were not currently looking to expand beyond the 11 beds but were focused on strengthening the current support they offered.
A recent boost in grants would help them do this.
In April the shelter's directors signed a contract with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development valued at $116,000 over three years.
A ministry spokesman said the contract was from April this year to March 2023 for up to 11 households.
The funding would allow the trust to employ another social worker, which they were in the process of recruiting.
Tauranga City Council also confirmed a second one-off grant of $40,000. The same amount of money was granted last year for set-up costs through the council's Stewart Trust which was set aside to be used for poverty relief.
It has previously helped to fund the Tauranga Community Foodbank and Tauranga Moana Men's Night Shelter.
Wallace previously told the council the shelter was facing "huge challenges" as a result of Covid-19 including increased demand for the service and a rise in referrals meaning the service was at capacity.
Tauranga Mayor Tenby Powell said there are 4000 homeless people in Tauranga. Photo / File
"I would be in prison if they hadn't taken me on"
One of the women currently in the beds says she would either be homeless or in prison if not for Awhina House.
The woman, who the Bay of Plenty Times has decided not to name, was released from prison the day the country went into lockdown.
She had strict parole conditions and there was suspected drug use at the accommodation she was initially at but she was made to stay for the duration of the lockdown.
Awhina House general manager Angela Wallace and chairwoman Tania Lewis-Rickard celebrate the shelter's first birthday. Photo / George Novak
She was desperate to find somewhere to live as soon as she could, as the environment at the accommodation would be in breach of her parole.
"I would be homeless, and I would be in prison if they hadn't taken me on," she said.
She moved to Tauranga for a fresh start and to be closer to her four children who were between the ages of 7 and 18.
She got to see them on Friday for the first time in three years.
She had been supported by a family lawyer, community rehab, connected with a church, "none of which would have happened if I hadn't come to Awhina".
There have been 50 women through Awhina House since it opened last year. Photo / File
It would be the first step in working towards being able to see her children more often.
"It's absolutely brilliant," she told the Bay of Plenty Times.
She had taken up all that was offered at the house including budgeting advice, goal setting and support to quit smoking.
About Awhina House:
• Awhina House provides wrap-around support including weekly sessions with the Tauranga Budget Advisory Service, weekly group sessions for addictions by Hanmer Clinic, mental health support, a nurse from the Primary Health Organisation, and an on-site social worker. • It also provides a quarterly dental clinic by Toothfairy dental, housing workshops, goal setting, and personal development programmes. • Women are given their own room for three months and provided with wrap-around services. • Living facilities are shared, occupants are on a cleaning roster and take turns cooking shared dinners. • Women are referred from the Ministry of Social Development and local support services. • Women who stay at the house are supported for 12 weeks after leaving. • Last year, the trust secured funding from the Tauranga Energy Consumer Trust ($65,000), the Acorn Foundation and Craigs Investment Partners ($15,000), Synergy Technologies ($20,000), Watchmen Security ($10,000) and BayTrust ($6000). • Occupants must be over 18, homeless in Tauranga Moana, have low to moderate mental health and addictions issues and be willing to engage in programmes with a goal to secure permanent housing.
