Bellyful Stories
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Share Your Bellyful Story
Has Bellyful made a difference in your life? Whether you’ve received meals, volunteered, or supported us, we’d love to hear your story! Your experience helps us inspire others and show the impact of a warm meal and a caring community.
The day Bellyful knocked on the door: Riika’s story
When a Bellyful volunteer knocked on Riika’s door during COVID, she thought she was simply receiving a few meals. Five years later, as Branch Coordinator of Bellyful Whitianga, Riika can see that knock gave her something even more important: connection, friendship and...
Celebrating Bellyful’s 2026 Heart Award recipients
Jacqui Jago and Pippa Wetzell (far right) were honoured for 15 years' service at the Heart Awards Dinner. Also pictured (L-R) Bellyful Founder Jacqui Ritchie, Board Chair Fiona Wilson and CE Sheena Revington. "The quiet force behind so much of Bellyful", "the glue...
A good deed in a weary world: Bellyful supporting families at Kidz First
At Kidz First Children’s Hospital in South Auckland, families arrive every day carrying far more than overnight bags. Some have travelled from Pukekohe. Others from Ōtara, East Auckland and across the wider South Auckland community. What they share is the same worry...
One less thing to carry
“I was a mum, with two under two. I didn’t realise how challenging it would be.” When Laila welcomed her second baby, life quickly became a juggle. With a newborn and a toddler at home, and her partner working full time — and spending his spare time renovating their...
“It was the help I never knew I needed”
When Charlotte heard about Bellyful at a mothers’ group, she was already carrying more than most people could see. “I had post-partum depression and as a first-time mum I didn’t realise how different it would be adjusting to a new ‘normal’. Even the littlest of help...
34,000 meals, 6,000 whānau – inside Bellyful’s year of impact
Bellyful has served up a powerful reminder that food is about so much more than what’s on the plate. In the year to March 2025, our volunteers across Aotearoa cooked and delivered 34,256 meals to 6,379 whānau – and together, we reached a huge milestone of more than...
Whānau turning to Bellyful when life gets tough
Alongside new babies, illness, isolation and exhaustion are now major reasons families are turning to Bellyful. For many years, the arrival of a new baby was the main reason whānau sought Bellyful’s support. The latest results from Bellyful's regular recipient survey,...
“You Kept Us Afloat”: Survey Highlights the Impact of Bellyful Volunteers
From exhausted new parents to overwhelmed households, whānau across the motu say Bellyful’s volunteers are a lifeline. In new survey results released for National Volunteer Week (15–21 June), 91% of recipients said the meals gave them a break when they needed it most...
Cooking Up Community, One Meal at a Time
Volunteer Katie Arathimos first found Bellyful NZ while looking for a way to share her love of food around her family commitments. “I googled various volunteering opportunities involving food. It had to be local, in the evenings and on a monthly basis for it to work...
What a Meal Really Means
“Superstars!!” - That’s what Kyla calls the Bellyful volunteers who helped her whānau through some of their hardest days. With a newborn in hospital and a toddler at home, Bellyful meals gave her family something they desperately needed: time together. When Kyla’s...
Bellyful launches “Shaping Our Future” Strategic Plan to reach more whānau in need of support
Bellyful New Zealand is thrilled to launch its refreshed Strategic Plan 2025–2027, a future-focused roadmap designed to ensure the organisation remains relevant and sustainable as it continues to nourish whānau and connect communities across the motu. Read the...
Lead with purpose – Join Bellyful NZ’s Board!
Are you passionate about supporting families and communities? Do you have governance experience and the drive to help a growing charity thrive? Bellyful New Zealand is looking for dedicated individuals to join our Board. About Bellyful Bellyful nourishes whānau and...
Comfort Food: The Power of Kindness and Kai
The arrival of a new baby is a life-changing moment, but for Ashleigh and her whānau, joy was quickly met with sorrow. Just days into parenthood, they found themselves navigating not only the demands of a newborn but also the sudden loss of her mother-in law. “Aside...
The Magic Ingredient
The joy that Bellyful meals deliver is the magic ingredient that’s kept volunteer Sharon Pittam giving her time and love to the charity for more than a decade. Sharon has been with Bellyful Auckland since the year it was opened, 2013. In that time, the branch has...
Annual Performance Report 2023/24
The Bellyful Board of Trustees is delighted to present this year’s Annual Performance Report where we celebrate delivering 250,000 meals, in this, our 15th year. Read our Annual Report here It is phenomenal to think about all the time, care and aroha that has gone...
Paying It Forward
The gift of Bellyful meals when her mum could not be with her after the birth of her first child has propelled Mercedes to give back so other parents can experience the same care. "I had my son in 2020 and we all know what happened that year - Covid. My mum was meant...
Hui 2024 brings Bellyful leaders together
We are invigorated following a wonderful Bellyful National Hui in Te Whanganui a Tara / Wellington. The amount of energy and aroha in the room as we gathered volunteer leaders from across Aotearoa was special. This year, one of the focuses was on ensuring our branch...
Welcome to our new CE
We are delighted to welcome Sheena Revington as our new Chief Executive. Sheena is an accomplished and driven not-for-profit leader, with nearly 20 years of experience in strategy, fundraising, communications, marketing, and community engagement. With an...
Bellyful blown away by Wellington jersey gift
Bellyful NZ is grateful to Mills Albert for its generous gift which sees the Bellyful logo taking pride of place on Wellington Lions and Pride jerseys this provincial season. Bellyful is a national charity with a team of more than 650 volunteers, spread from Hibiscus...
Nourishment at a Time of Need
A Bellyful Central Auckland recipient who received meals while her premature newborn was in Auckland Hospital shares her thanks. When our daughter arrived prematurely at 36 weeks, she faced challenges that led us to the NICU. After genetic test results and a...
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