During the Covid-19 lockdown period Porirua residents who were struggling and on their own could call an emergency helpline to get assistance from the Porirua City Council. This helpline will no longer be available from 5pm today (Friday, 5 June), but local support is in place.

Porirua Mayor and Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Chair Anita Baker says when we went into the Covid-19 lockdown period, Council set up an emergency helpline to assist our community to get the essentials they needed when everyone was asked to stay at home.

"For many people without support networks, getting essentials like food and medicine was difficult during this time and we were happy to deploy our Council staff to help," she says.

"Although the emergency helpline will no longer be available from tonight, the Council has been working with the local welfare agencies to ensure that the people of Porirua continue to get the support they need.

"Porirua is a community that pulls together in tough time, nobody gets left behind. I want to encourage our people to reach out to any of our providers listed below if they need support, you are not alone and together we will get through this," Mayor Baker says.

Council Chief Executive Wendy Walker says that nearly 90 Council staff were working shifts at the Porirua Emergency Operations Centre to support the welfare needs of Porirua residents and the emergency effort touched over 5000 Porirua residents’ lives.

"Now that we are moving down the alert levels and people are returning to work, our staff who helped out with the emergency efforts now need to return to their usual roles," says Ms Walker.

See below a list of helplines that are available and local agencies that can assist with urgent welfare support. Visit our website poriruracity.govt.nz/welfaresupport for a list of local groups that can help with support.

Helplines available:

If you need financial assistance, please ring Work and Income on 0800 559 009. If you have been temporarily displaced from your home due to Covid-19 and need support to find short term temporary accommodation, please call MBIE’s Temporary Accommodation Service on 0508 754 163 to register. If you’re feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or just need to talk with someone, call or text 1737 to speak with a trained counsellor. If you aren’t sure where to get the help you need, ring the Government Helpline on 0800 779 997.

Local services available:

Salvation Army Porirua

The local team at the Salvation Army can assist you with food support if you need it. You can pop in and talk to the team about a food parcel everyday between 10am and 2pm at 89 Warspite Avenue, Cannons Creek.

If you need further information, give them a call on 04 235 6266

Citizens Advice Bureau Porirua

The team at CAB can assist with information and advice on a range of topics. This includes employment law, tenancy rights, food support, budgeting and questions about Work and Income NZ. You can call them on (04) 237 8846.

Te Roopu Awhina

The team at Te Roopu Awhina cares about supporting your whānau and helping you to find solutions that work for you, in your home, your school and in your community. They provide a range of health, education, social and economic wellbeing services - their kaupapa is Maori, but all are welcome. You can call them on 0800 872 800.

Porirua Whānau Centre

The Whānau Centre is well connected in our community and provide support and services for babies, through to children, and on to teenagers and adults - all the way to seniors. If you need some friendly, caring support, no matter what your age, background or your ethnicity, you’ll find it with them. And if they can’t help you directly, they’ll be able to help you find an agency that can, call them on 04 237 7749.

Taeaomanino Trust

Taeaomanino is a Pacific social service and health provider based in Porirua. It provides mental health and addiction services as well as several social and community health services to Pacific families and people, you can call them on 0800 345 345.

Vaka Tautua

Vaka Tautua is a national "by Pacific for Pacific" health and social services provider that can help you with a wide range of services, such as mental health services, older people support, disability and financial support - you can call them on 0800 825 282.

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