Feed a whānau this Christmas

Christmas can be a tough time for young families who don’t have their own whānau nearby. Ease the pressure by donating some Bellyful meals. You make the donation, we do the rest.

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Your gift today will help families like Sarah’s*:

“Thank you for the stress relief you gave me for three days. I felt like I had time to think instead of running in circles trying to feed everyone as well as clean the house and look after a sick baby. Bellyful is the most amazing service I have come across for mums or families. It just gives us at least an hour to think or even just get the washing done or accomplish something in my day. Thank you.”

♥ $20 covers the cost of one yummy meal
♥ $60 feeds a whānau for three nights
♥ $100 helps stock up a freezer

Each $20 you donate will cover all the costs of a meal for a local whānau. This could be a family-favourite macaroni cheese, a nourishing lasagne or bolognese, warming soup or a delicious vege curry.

Bellyful recipients say the break from the pressure of cooking allows them to focus on caring for their baby, spend quality time with their other children – and some even manage to get a little more sleep!

Your donation will also help us ensure the freezers in neonatal and special care baby units across Aotearoa are stocked up for Christmas and New Year. Whānau often arrive at these units exhausted and stressed and welcome having something comforting they quickly can heat and eat.

Look after whānau needing support this Christmas.

*Name changed

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Want to know more about Bellyful?

Bellyful cooks and delivers free meals to whānau, with babies or young children, who need support. Last year alone, over 600 volunteers cooked and delivered 34,742 meals to 5,762 whānau all over New Zealand.

Bellyful is a nationwide organisation. We have 25 branches – seven in the South Island and 18 in the North Island. More than 250,000 meals have been delivered since being founded in in 2009 in Franklin (south of Auckland) by Jacqui Ritchie. You can read her story here.

Meals are cooked by a team of volunteers in a Cookathon, then packaged and frozen. Referrals are received from Plunket nurses, midwives, community social workers, family and friends and recipients themselves. Meals are then delivered by volunteers.

We are incredibly grateful for the community support – together we’re filling bellies across Aotearoa. Kei runga noa atu!

Our pics of the week celebrate just some of the wo