The inaugural Auckland City Mission CookOff was held at St Matthew-in-the-City in March, feeding 180 people a delicious three course meal and so far raising almost $150,000 to support the missions work. At the event, 12 top Auckland business leaders were paired with a celebrated Auckland chef, Nadia Lim, Michael Van de Elzen or Nici Wickes to provide a meal special Mission guests from the Mission’s satellite marae, a number of our street whanau, people currently in detox and those in emergency of accommodation.

The event provided the opportunity for Auckland’s top business leaders to give back to the local community making a positive difference in the lives of vulnerable Aucklanders through fundraising and the hosting the special meal. The Mission’s goal was to raise of $250,000 of crucial funding for our food services through the CookOff event. It has currently raised $142,138 and is still looking for further donations. Please donate here.

Last year the Auckland City Mission provided over 21,000 emergency food parcels for families and individuals, who otherwise would be going hungry. These food parcels provide 893,844 meals annually. The money raised by this event will help provide 3,846 emergency food parcels for families in need.

Auckland City Missioner, Christ Farrelly, says that 2018 saw a massive increase in the number of families needing food parcels last year. “We hear of people living hand to mouth, but often there is no food. Food becomes one discretionary item that families can do away with if they have to pay exorbitant rent, have to pay the loan sharks, get the kids into school. This is becoming a massive movement in this country of many organisations providing food for foodbanks.

He says that in the old days the Mission received donated food to distribute to those in need, but today the need is so great the Mission has to buy a lot of good, nutritious food. “On a daily basis, at the mission itself, we feed about 300 people off our streets who come in for a three course beautifully cooked meal.”

Donations can be made until 29 May. You can support Chris Farrelly’s donation page here.  Please donate if you can.

https://cookoff2019.everydayhero.com/nz/chris-farrelly-and-bishop-jim-white-1