Our mission is to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilising the power of humanity and enhancing community resilience
We’re here to support your community
Every day we help people in need here in Aotearoa New Zealand and around the world. Whether it's helping people affected by a disaster through our nationwide Disaster Welfare and Support Teams (DWST), delivering a hot meal and a smile to some of our most isolated Kiwis, or supporting former refugees as they settle in Aotearoa New Zealand, our friendly Red Cross teams are there to support our communities.
What do we do and where do your hard-earned fundraising efforts go?
Each year New Zealand Red Cross provides items and support in response to significant disasters and crises both here in New Zealand and around the world. We rely on fundraising to run our programmes and provide support and services. The help of your donations ensures that those most vulnerable get the support they need.
Our Disaster, Welfare, and Support Teams (DWST) are ready to be deployed at a moment's notice, whenever and wherever the need is greatest. We never know when the next disaster will strike, but we do know that our teams need to be prepared so that when the time comes, we can provide relief, build resilience and help communities make a strong recovery.
Your incredible fundraising efforts enable our DWST members to be fully trained and equipped to provide support, shelter, and essential supplies for those affected by a disaster or emergency, like the Auckland Floods and Cyclone Gabrielle. This wouldn’t be possible without your support.
Meals on Wheels
Our Meals on Wheels program ensures that vulnerable people in our community, such as those recovering from illness or hospital treatment, the elderly, and people with disabilities can receive a nutritious meal delivery. Every year we deliver a staggering 660,000 meals across the country!
Support from our amazing fundraisers means vulnerable recipients not only receive a healthy meal but also an important social connection and a kind check-in from a friendly Red Cross volunteer who is ready to lend an ear or a helping hand.
Migration Services
Our Migration Programs provide vital support to former refugees as they settle into their new communities. We’re there every step of the way for individuals and families across eight locations, helping them set up their homes, navigate communities, and access support services. We also help former refugees across 13 locations to prepare for and find work.
Support from people like you allows us to train our incredible Refugee Support Volunteers to be there alongside families as they navigate daily life in a new country and culture, enrolling in school, catching public transport, and often learning a whole new language. Your support helps make a house a home, helping us provide essentials like homewares, bedding, car seats, and school uniforms. Our specialist teams also provide crucial refugee trauma recovery services. This essential work can only be done with the help of amazing fundraisers like you!
Visit our community programmes page to see more of our programmes, what we’re doing, and what programmes we’re running in your back yard.
First Aid Courses and Education
Being able to react quickly and perform first aid when needed is an important skill that can save lives. Our first aid courses are practical, hands-on, and designed to give you first-aid skills that you can use when you need them most, protecting yourself and others.
When disaster strikes we’re ready to go
We provide disaster risk management and disaster response teams when a disaster occurs in Aotearoa. Our teams are made up of highly committed and multi-skilled volunteers. Your fundraising means we can get our disaster welfare support team and trucks out to provide relief, support, shelter and food for those affected by disasters, like the Napier Floods and Ōhau fires.
We provide refugee settlement support
We are the primary provider of community refugee settlement programmes in New Zealand. We run pathways for former refugee Kiwis to help them settle into their new community and new employment. We offer refugee trauma recovery and organise donated items to be given to those who need them.
Helping away from home
We provide support all over the world to communities affected by disasters, emergencies, and conflict. As part of the largest global humanitarian network, our Movement helps meet humanitarian needs in 192 countries. With funds donated by our amazing supporters, we are also able to send International Delegates overseas to provide specialist skills and humanitarian assistance to save lives, alleviate suffering, and maintain human dignity.
Helping our Pacific neighbours
When a disaster strikes our Pacific neighbours, we provide much-needed emergency aid to help communities get back on their feet. Our prepositioned supplies and expert teams ensure vital relief during the response and recovery. We also work with communities through our Pacific Partner Programme to enhance resilience and build on their existing capabilities to cope with disasters. We provide first aid training, emergency communication, and disaster preparedness support.
One of the oldest services in the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement, Restoring Family Links helps families in New Zealand and overseas locate missing loved ones, by working as part of a global humanitarian network with a presence in over 190 countries. Our Restoring Family Links team offers free, confidential services to help families who have been separated by conflict, disaster, or migration.
For more of what we do at home and overseas visit the official New Zealand Red Cross website
