Christmas kai offers Northland’s homeless a festive environment

155 Whare Āwhina Open Arms CEO Liz Cassidy-Nelson with the Christmas kitchen volunteers. Photo / Mike Cunningham

Struggling Northlanders were treated to a proper Christmas feast on Friday to celebrate the festive season and be offered connection, according to CEO of Open Arms homeless shelter, Liz Cassidy-Nelson.

“Ultimately, Open Arms is all about caring connection,” she said.

Open Arms day centre was established in an immediate response to community need and ahead of securing funding.

They offer free facilities for those in need including washing machines, emergency food parcels, a postal address for those who don’t have one, breakfast and lunch six days a week, as well as advice and support with housing, mental health, addiction and healthcare.

Today Open Arms offered a day of kai in the lead-up to Christmas. For Cassidy-Nelson, offering a place to rest and seek support during the festive season is especially important.

“I guess today it is about the whānau that come to the centre. It’s about providing them a nice kai, acknowledging the specialness, and just as a kind of a thank you really to them, they’re really important to us, they’re part of our family.”

Visitors were treated to a hangi at the hands of volunteers, pictured here. Photo / Mike Cunningham

Cassidy-Nelson said the connection that’s offered “it’s the greatest gift that we’re been able to give”.

“We’ve got very mature 86-year-olds that are isolated, and this is home, so the gift we can all give to each other is that, say hi, or smile or just those little things, so that’s my hope for them.”