Volunteers help out at the Auckland City Mission on Christmas Day on 25 December, 2023. Photo: RNZ / Felix Walton
Dozens of volunteers are spending their Christmas at the Auckland City Mission to feed people in need.
Glazed ham, roast vegetables and Christmas pudding are all on the menu for some of the city's most vulnerable residents.
Music and laughter could be heard throughout Auckland City Mission's Hobson Street complex as hundreds of homeless and low-income Aucklanders enjoyed the first of three meal sittings scheduled for Christmas Day.
"It's buzzy and alive at the moment, lots of lovely people coming in for lovely food and presents," City Missioner Helen Robinson said.
"We have lots of staff and volunteers, lots of people who have been working during the week wrapping presents and setting up tables. I'd say we have 50 people working here are volunteers, and then many of our staff as well."
A team of volunteers led by kitchen manager Debbie Tugaga were carving ham and handing out gifts.
"We've got a bacon, aioli and potato salad, we've done a really nice green salad, we've done a glazed ham, hot bread rolls and butter, then we've got trifle and ice cream and chocolates," Tugaga said.
"It's a lot of work, we were in here all day yesterday prepping everything. The kitchen is pretty much 90 percent volunteers, I've got them out there doing all sorts of things."
Volunteers help out at the Auckland City Mission on Christmas Day on 25 December, 2023. Photo: RNZ / Felix Walton
The charity was able to offer more food than usual this year, Tugaga said.
"We've been very generous with our portions today. Thanks to all the donations from the public, we've been able to give them a bit more than we normally do, normally we have to do a bit more portion control," she said.
"Haven't had any bad comments yet, so I think they're quite happy!"
Tugaga said it was important to mark Christmas with a feast.
"We've got a lot of people that are struggling or spend Christmas on their own and they can come here, they can talk to everyone," she said.
"Everybody's here because they want to be and they know they'll leave with a full tummy."
Volunteers help out at the Auckland City Mission on Christmas Day on 25 December, 2023. Photo: RNZ / Felix Walton
Two more sittings, one for lunch and another for dinner, would be opened to low-income families later in the day.
"I think across the day we'll be feeding about 500 people," City Missioner Helen Robinson estimated.
"Our kitchen staff are working incredibly hard to provide a beautiful meal for everyone in a very hot and muggy Auckland kitchen today, so shout out to them particularly."
While the kitchen staff were hard at work, other volunteers were busy preparing for the next round of guests.
Yuin Foong said he had been a regular volunteer for "ages."
"Rather than sit at home and do nothing, I've just decided I'll spend my days at City Mission," he said.
"We're just setting up for Christmas lunch for this afternoon, this morning has all been about trying to run [the breakfast] and set up for the lunch before guests come in."
Volunteers help out at the Auckland City Mission on Christmas Day on 25 December, 2023. Photo: RNZ / Felix Walton
The joy and gratitude he felt from guests kept him coming back, Foong said.
"Everyone's just grateful, everyone gets caught up in that Christmas joy and just the specialness of the day," he said.
"To be made to feel a bit special, to have kai, music, friendly faces, everyone's really receptive."
He was impressed by the hard work of his fellow volunteers and staff.
"I'm constantly amazed at the amount of mahi the City Mission staff do to allow volunteers to execute on the day.
"There's hours, if not days, of prep, organising of run sheets, ordering stuff, designing menus, finding volunteers. Countless hours to make this day special."
Helen Robinson said it all hinged on donations from Aucklanders.
"I'm always incredibly nervous at this time of year," she admitted.
"The truth of the Mission is that we're really vulnerable, because we are just so incredibly dependent on those donations and the generosity of people."
Christmas was a time to share and give, she said.
"That sense of whānau and community, it's so important on Christmas day. It's about the kai ... but it's not [just] about the kai, it's about what happens when we all come together."
