A $25,000 grant from BayTrust is being warmly welcomed by Tauranga Moana Night Shelter Trust in response to the Bay's current housing crisis placing huge strain on social agencies.
Tauranga Moana Night Shelter manager Annamarie Angus says staff and volunteers are committed to helping each man end the cycle of homelessness by resolving long-term issues such as access to health services, social welfare benefits, and drug and alcohol counselling.
Tauranga Moana Night Shelter. Photo: Bruce Barnard.
'Without BayTrust's help we wouldn't be able to provide these services. We would just become another warehouse night shelter where people come in at 4pm and leave again at 7.30am and nothing else gets resolved,” says Annamarie.
The night shelter opened on Elizabeth St in September 2014 and offers more than just a safe place to sleep.
'With the right supports in place, housing becomes sustainable for the long-term. Most people do want that – they are looking to live well in the community and have their own whare to go home to.”
BayTrust chief executive Alastair Rhodes says the $25,000 grant towards the night shelter's operational costs will help further BayTrust's vision of ensuring 'the Bay of Plenty is the greatest place to be”.
'Healthy sustainable housing and inclusive communities are two important priorities for BayTrust.
'Tauranga's night shelter is making a genuine difference in homeless men's lives and we're proud to be able to support them behind the scenes to deliver these important social services.”
Annamarie agrees. 'In our experience if you give them support and a safe environment, they fly. 'Once they learn to trust in people, and trust in society again, it's just amazing.”
3 comments
All so very simple......
Posted on 27-05-2016 08:55 | By Jimmy Ehu
The easier it is for some to get fed and have a warm bed through winter, the more it encourages others to become victims and depend on funded agencies to help them, all the while benefit money is still spent on alcohol/drugs/cigarettes, can an explanation be given on what happens when an accomodation supplement is paid to the perceived " homeless", and they sleep in a car or under a tree?, giving more for them to spend on the afore mentioned drugs, I don't mind contributing to help, but I do mind when help is thrown in your face with belligerence and distain, and still our " freedom camper" resides besides a public walkway along Takitimu Drive while Council paid park staff mow the lawns and trim trees for him, why has he not been evicted?, and where are the " do gooders" to look after him?.
Hmmmm
Posted on 27-05-2016 22:47 | By How about this view!
Why build low cost housing in the most expensive parts of the country? Most (Not all) of the homeless do not or are unwilling to work, so why do we not fund large scale housing projects in places such as Kawerau, Tokoroa and Bennydale, where land value is lower and the funding would go further? Sure there may be no work in these areas, but what difference would that make to these people. The funding agencies would be better able to target their resources as well
agree Jimmy Ehu
Posted on 28-05-2016 08:17 | By whatsinaname
I totally agree with your comments.
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