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 and 97% felt supported without judgement.
Bellyful is a national, volunteer-led charity that delivers free frozen meals to whānau with babies or young children who don’t have a support network. The meals are prepared at local “Cookathons” and delivered by volunteers to whānau facing challenges such as illness, bereavement, isolation, the exhaustion of a new baby, or juggling multiples.
Feedback is gathered every two months through an ongoing survey conducted by independent research company Research New Zealand. The latest results, from November and December 2024, highlight the difference Bellyful volunteers make for recipients:
- 91% said the meals gave them a break when they needed it most
- 89% said the meals helped them focus on caring for their baby
- 97% felt supported without judgement
- 100% of referrers agreed Bellyful fills a vital gap in community support
Recipient comments show how Bellyful is about more than just food:
“Being ‘middle class’ meant we didn’t qualify for any other assistance. Adding another two children to the four we have was not planned – Bellyful supported us in a way we could not articulate, aside from saying you actually kept us afloat in what felt like a sinking situation.”
“During the darker moments of motherhood, Bellyful helped me dig myself out… I am so very grateful for the pick-me-ups whenever it gets tough. Thank you to all the volunteers – you don’t know how much it means.”
“I am so, so grateful for the meals we received when I was feeling extremely exhausted and overwhelmed postpartum. Thank you so, so much!”
During the same two-month period, Bellyful volunteers delivered 5,404 meals to 833 whānau, as well as 552 meals to neonatal units across the country.
Bellyful Chief Executive Sheena Revington said the findings highlight the impact volunteers have every day:
“These results reflect the powerful role our volunteers play. A simple act, preparing and delivering a meal, can offer real relief to whānau navigating incredibly tough times.”
Bellyful currently has more than 770 volunteers across 25 branches. It provides up to three nights of meals to anyone who meets its minimal criteria and lives in a delivery zone.
The charity received over 7,000 referrals in 2024, with demand continuing to grow. This year, Bellyful is aiming to cook more than 40,000 meals – supporting nearly 7,000 families and stocking freezers in NICU and SCBU units across Aotearoa.
“Our volunteers are the heartbeat of Bellyful – but behind every volunteer is a community of supporters whose generosity makes our mahi possible,” Revington added. “To our donors, funders, referrers and partners: thank you for keeping us afloat, helping us fill our freezers and spreading the word about Bellyful right across Aotearoa.”
Bellyful is proud to join Volunteering New Zealand’s Big Shout Out – a campaign recognising the incredible contributions volunteers make across Aotearoa.
