Whangārei day centre for city's homeless ready to Open Arms

A Whangārei day centre is ready to open its doors to help not just those who don't have a home but anyone who might need it, after undergoing a significant makeover.

Open Arms has been developed in response to calls for a homeless shelter in Whangārei. It officially opens today with a ceremony and performances starting at 10am.

Centre manager Sam Cassidy said the centre - in part of the old Army Hall on Walton St/Robert St intersection - will be open to everybody from Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 5pm.

"Anyone that needs it can come in here and use it."

One Double Five Community House's Carol Peters said the centre was looking to partner with volunteer groups who could run breakfasts or dinners, to open the centre at weekends.

Cassidy's is the only paid role at the centre, which has undergone a significant makeover at the hands of volunteers in the past three and a half months.

Open Arms centre manager Sam Cassidy is excited to officially open the centre's doors. Photo/Michael Cunningham

The day centre was the dream of Whangārei woman Carrie Kake, who has spent decades helping people into homes and jobs. Kake was overwhelmed by the shape the centre had taken, but credited the community for bringing it together.

"I haven't got the words to describe what it's going to do for people who are having hard time."

Donations of all types of items and labour time had flooded in from the community.

"The community can take a good pat on the back, they've helped themselves."

One Double Five Community House's Carol Peters and volunteer Te Aroha Nahi in a room full of clothes that can be given out to people. Photo/Michael Cunningham

One of those volunteers is Kevin West, who Kake helped get a place to live and a job last year after he returned to New Zealand from Australia.

He works as a fabricator and welder at Culham Engineering, but after work and at the weekends he has spent his time working at Open Arms doing anything that needed doing.

West said it was the least he could do to help Kake back.

"I just wanted to help out. I came down and just wanted to keep helping out after that, it's got a good feel to the place."

West has helped with a rolling table in the kitchen, kitchen cabinets, doors and more.

Another of those volunteers is painter Craig Sullivan. He said he ran out of work through the winter, and saw information about Open Arms on Facebook so decided to head along.

"It's about giving back to the community. I think we've come along way, it was absolutely run down, now we've had compliments about it being like a hotel. We want people to feel like they're at home."

Sullivan has done the bulk of the painting, but has had the help of community workers from corrections and other community members. He's added his own signature to the work, running a theme of orange through the building.

"It's just something that gives good energy and it's a positive colour."

Carrie Kake, painter Craig Sullivan and Carol Peters in the kitchen of Open Arms. Photo/Michael Cunningham

Glenn Jobe and Carmen Taurerewa both live at a caravan park in Otaika and have been volunteering at the centre.

Jobe, who lives in a caravan said he thought the centre was a "darn good idea" and said he would be making use of the centre.

Taurerewa lives in a cabin and had been spreading the word to people who were struggling about the day centre.

"I know what it's like to be homeless, it's not nice. Just when you think you're going to hit rock bottom, there's people like this."

Peters said a lot of the people who had helped had experience with homelessness.

This Mother Teresa quote accompanies a full size mural in a room that also contains a library. Photo/Michael Cunningham

People who visit the centre will be able to cook their own food, or use some of the available food, have a shower and do their washing. People will also be able to meet with different social services.

Another room is filled with donated clothes and packs of toiletry items which can be given out.

The centre has had to spend $40,000 on some things that couldn't be done by volunteers or donations, such as installing the fire system.