Don’t know where to donate, how to show your support, or who to contact after the Auckland floods? We’ve put together helpful information, from community groups seeking donations, to important websites to know if you need assistance with debris cleanup, access to the Auckland Emergency Relief Fund or a warm meal, have questions about your renting rights, or want to report fallen trees. Stay safe everyone.
Donate
Sunday Blessings Tāmaki Makaurau
The Sunday Blessings team is collecting donations at Ellen Melville Centre from 10am-5pm each day until Sunday. They are looking for men’s shoes; men’s clothes, size L and up; pillows and sleeping bags; ponchos and rainwear; baby wipes; women’s shoes, size 9 and above; women’s socks; children’s socks and underwear; umbrellas, thermals, and gumboots. Ellen Melville Centre, 2 Freyberg Place, Auckland central.
Kindness Collective Foundation is asking for food and toiletries, including UHT milk, cereal, muesli bars, fruit, bread, tinned fruit, blankets, pillows and kids’ clothes. Or you can offer a one-off monetary donation on their website. 5/4 Rocklands Ave, Mt Eden.
Auckland Student Volunteer Army are looking for people with skills in first aid and professional health care, or anyone with a truck or trailer to help remove debris from people’s homes. They will have opportunities for volunteers over the next few weeks.
David Letele/Brown Buttabean
Community leader David Letele, who runs Brown Buttabean/BBM Team, an online coaching programme, has been stationed at the Mangere Moana-Nui-a-Kiwa Pool and Leisure Centre, distributing food and clothing donations to the communities in the South Auckland area, and has reached out to community groups in other affected areas. You can donate here. Stay updated via Facebook.
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Advertise with NZME.The organisation has set up a food bank and is seeking donations of food, cleaning products, mops, towels, buckets, clothing and bedding. You can contact them directly to organise your donation. Phone 0800 866 862.
Auckland City Mission
Auckland City Mission has set up a flood response team, offering support with food, housing and homelessness. If you or your family need a food parcel, phone 0800 223 663. If you’re concerned about anyone sleeping rough, fill out this form. You can support Auckland City Mission by donating here.
Gudwaras are making meals and delivering food to people affected by the flood, and those in the city’s North, West and South can assist with bulk supplies of rice, pasta and packs of essentials. Contact CJ Rattwate (02041015772) or Daljit (021 803 512), or supremesikhsocietynz@gmail.com, or 09 296 2376.
Tāngata whenua-owned and operated café Pink Neon Sign on High St is collecting donations for non-perishable food items, baby products (food, nappies, etc.), hygiene and sanitary products, and pet food.
This important community group, which supports many migrant women, children and families in Tāmaki (3500 in total) lost everything in the flood, including sewing machines and computers, and donations are welcome. 190 Stoddard Rd, Mount Roskill.
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Advertise with NZME.This service provides mobile showers and laundry for anyone in need. You can donate to them directly.
Providing free Halal and gluten-free Malaysian meals for people affected by the flood, this certified home-based food business is delivering to North Shore, West, East, and Central Auckland. Contact them if you or someone you know is in need, or ask how you can help and donate.
Support
Support loved ones and friends affected by the floods
If you know someone personally affected by the floods, chances are they have been in survival mode for the last couple of days and are feeling overwhelmed.
Sometimes asking “What can I do?” is just another thing for a stressed person to contemplate.
Instead, consider delivering (if it is safe to do so) some comfort food in the form of a hot dinner (pies are great, as is baking, or a thermos of hot tea or coffee). Here are some of the Viva team’s favourite comforting recipes.
Offer your time in the form of childcare, so parents can take stock of their homes, and attend to important clean-up and admin.
If loved ones need help with cleanup, turn up with a mop, gloves, broom, bucket, rubbish bags and cleaning products so you’re equipped to assist.
Consider taking home a load of laundry — any wet towels, tea towels or soaked clothes and deliver them clean and dry. Wash them in hot water.
Check on people without friends and family in Auckland, to see if they need help or support.
If you have a car that wasn’t flooded, offer to loan it to someone who no longer has one. Or offer to do some supermarket/supplies shopping.
Some houses still don’t have hot water, or any water at all. Offer your home/bathroom for a hot shower.
Let your neighbours know if you have a covered area big enough to dry wet towels or blankets, such as a carport with an undercover clothesline.
Pets
Helping You Help Animals (HUHANZ)
Animals and pets will also be experiencing high stress levels right now and one way to help is to offer not only a financial donation but also support with bedding, food and transport. HUHANZ is dedicated to providing refuge for animals less fortunate, and has made it easy to donate via text messaging too. Simply text HUHA to the number 4463 for an immediate donation of $3. For those that are able to help families with pets affected by the floods, offering up your home to a displaced pet is also helpful in providing some comfort.
Shop
Your spending power will speak volumes as several local fashion brands have made a concerted effort to help those in need.
Asuwere
Local menswear brand Asuwere was one of the many businesses impacted by the Auckland floods with its Newmarket store on Nuffield Street hit with stock damage. With existing stock to shift in unfavourable sizing, the brand is hosting a Flood Relief Sale of heavily discounted items. For every sale item sold, Asuwere will donate an additional item to aid those affected by the floods. The online-only event is taking place from Monday 13-Sunday 19, where customers can grab a great deal and give back to the community.
Gloria
Kristine Crabb’s label Gloria is donating 5 per cent of all sales to Auckland Flood Relief Support until February 12th.
All proceeds will be donated via the non-profit organisation @nurturingfamiliesnz, who aim to provide immediate relief for families in crisis, and they are also accepting direct donations: Bank Account: 38-9022-0247806-00
Naveya & Sloane
Jewellery brand Naveya & Sloane is known for its stunning selection of diamonds, and for the Auckland Flood Relief Mission, the brand is auctioning off a pair of its classic ‘Sloane Slipper’ diamond earrings valued at $4995. 100 per cent of the successful bid will go towards supporting Aucklanders who have been impacted by the unprecedented rainfall. More details of the auction can be found here.
Lamsey’s x Our Little Market
This is one sweet collab we can get behind: ahead of Valentine’s Day, local cakes specialist Lamsey’s and fleamarket seller Our Little Market are uniting for a good cause, offering you an indulgent cake for Valentine’s Day along with a Pacific-inspired soy-scented candle. The two Pasifika female-led businesses will donate 10 per cent of proceeds to the Auckland Flood Relief Mission. Pick up and Auckland-wide delivery will be available for your order. To pre-order, fill in the online order form here. The gift combo is valued at $55 each, and you can select from two gorgeous cake flavours — Lemon and Passionfruit Curd cake and Koko Samoa Mud cake; and two candle scents — Tipani (frangipani) and Pai Fala (pineapple pie).
Dine Out
Many Auckland businesses have experienced devastating flooding, including the hospitality industry, which was just bouncing back after Covid. With a state of emergency declared, Aucklanders have been instructed to stay home this week, impacting patronage. There’s also a looming food shortage and road closures impacting deliveries. We understand Cassia, Barulho, Sal Rose Italian, El Greco have been flooded, among many others.
How you can help
Buy a restaurant voucher online, to create some immediate cash flow, even if the restaurant is currently closed.
Show your support when restaurants reopen by booking a table or walking in for dinner or drinks.
Food community group Lazy Susan has set up a fund to assist the hospitality industry. You can donate here.
The Cassia team has set up a pop-up in the private dining room at Sid at The French Café, temporarily naming it The Cassia Kitchen. There is one sitting only, 6.30pm, Wednesday to Saturday. Bookings are essential via Cassiarestaurant.co.nz.
Important numbers/websites to know
If you need access to the Auckland Council Emergency Relief Fund, call Auckland Council on 09 301 0101.
For welfare assistance, call the Ministry of Social Development on 0800 400 100.
To report a blocked drain, stream or waterway, or a fallen tree or debris, call the council on 0800 22 22 00.
Consumer NZ has helpful information on your insurance and renting rights. It also includes info on cancelled events and refunded tickets.
Register to Temporary Accommodation Service if you need ongoing temporary accommodation after the flooding.
The EMA Business Hotline is 0800 500 362.
Visit the Employment New Zealand information page for employers and employees.
Renters United has information on renter’s rights.
The Student Volunteer Army is assisting with non-urgent cleanup (you can also donate your time to help them).
Pasifika Futures has helpful resources of numbers, organisations and services, as well as translated documents to apply for flood relief support.
Auckland Indian restaurants Baahubali, Plan B, and Hyderabad Garage offer free meals to Auckland flood victims.
