A good news story got better and better after a conversation with Peter Ryan from Kāpiti Vinnie’s (The Kāpiti Coast conference of St Vincent de Paul Society).
On the weekend the Vinnie’s Food Appeal saw volunteers outside New World Waikanae collecting.
Peter says the service is in great demand and says Vinnie’s are grateful to the public for supporting vulnerable people needing some help at a time of growing demand.
“We are supporting so many more families now. It takes an awful lot for families to say we need help,” says Peter.
Although St Vincent de Paul is a Catholic organisation Peter says distribution is based on need.
“All that we collect is distributed in Kāpiti to people who have asked for help. They don’t have to be Catholic or any religion, it is just based on need.”
Peter says their group gets referrals from a wide range of sources including schools, businesses, and the Citizens Advice Bureau.
And here is the more good news part – Peter says they receive 40 meals a week to distribute from – PartyPerfect Catering who also have the Hungarian Restaurant ANZIL at Lindale.
“PartyPerfect have been very generous, not just to us but also to the Kāpiti Cancer Society, and He Tangata Village Trust. And they fully fund it themselves,” says Peter.
And the even more good news part – Peter says he was out gardening and his neighbour said he had heard about the work Vinnie’s was doing and would like to help out. The neighbour is Malcolm (Mal) Bird and he is now donating 30kg of fish each month to Vinnie’s as well as to other great causes like the Kāpiti Foodbank.
Peter says Vinnie’s has not been impacted on by the Government’s huge cuts to social service providers. “We have never had government funding. Donations and bequests and public generosity keep us going.”
Vinnie’s hold four Food Appeal day’s each year and thank those who donate very much for their kindness.
If you would like to make a donation the bank account; Society of St Vincent de Paul is 06-0730-0297571-00. Donations of $5 plus are tax deductible.
For more see: https://vinnies-kapiti-mana.org.nz/
