Auckland Church Network

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐲!

"The drive, organised in collaboration with the Food Security Network and Auckland Church Network, has 16 collection points across the North Shore."

"The drive is supported by Kiwi Harvest, which collects donations and distributes them across the Shore’s food banks".

"St George’s parish administrator Flo Hunt says the drive at the church is going well. 'Each week the members of the church bring something on a Sunday'.”

“The North Shore has a perception of being ‘well off’, but we have beneficiaries in every corner, including people in Devonport, Belmont, Hauraki and Bayswater,” says Good Works Trust general manager Sophie Gray".

"The lunch kits are vital for families, especially in an area where few schools benefit from the government school lunch programme, Gray says".
https://rangitoto-observer.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/SMALL_RangitotoObserver_7August2026.pdf

GoodWorks Trust Rangitoto Observer KiwiHarvest

In response to public comments made by Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki, our Executive Chair, Jonathan Dove, has penned an article.

You can find it on our website; link in comments.

WEEK 1!

Comment below if you are involved in some way...
- You've contributed/dropped off some items
- You / your organisation (church/community group) are hosting a collection site
- You are part of a food bank that is receiving and distributing items.

If you need food - please check out the website for Distribution Centres/Foodbanks where you can pick up food parcels!
https://www.aucklandchurchnetwork.nz/shore-winter-food-drive

Please share the news!!!

𝐖𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝟕 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞!

If you'd like to support the North Shore Winter Food Drive and are wondering what to donate or where to drop it off, you'll find everything you need on our Food Drive page, including collection point addresses, drop-off times, and options for financial giving:

https://www.aucklandchurchnetwork.nz/shore-winter-food-drive

Interested in becoming a collection point? There's still time to get involved! Simply register your interest below and we'll be in touch to help you get set up:

https://forms.gle/RKWMRc66SYTQyULo8

For a list of approved items, see here:

https://shorturl.at/KMQ41

Shore Winter Food Drive — Auckland Church Network July - August 2026 Shore Winter Food Drive Shifting the dial on food insecurity on the Shore.Together. Sign up to help The Shore Winter Food Drive is back again for 2026!By working together, no single organisation or church has to do everything or have all the expertise. It’s a win for everyone.Ha...

🍎 𝐀 𝐋𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡 𝐊𝐢𝐭. 𝐀 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤. 𝐀 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞. 🍎

𝘼𝙨 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙉𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝 𝙎𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙁𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝘿𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙅𝙪𝙡𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘼𝙪𝙜𝙪𝙨𝙩, 𝙬𝙚’𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙣𝙫𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙙𝙪𝙖𝙡𝙨, 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙨, 𝙘𝙝𝙪𝙧𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙨, 𝙨𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙡𝙨, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙥𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙤𝙧 𝙨𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙡 𝙡𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙝 𝙠𝙞𝙩𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙮.

Each week, The Good Works Trust supports 9 local schools by distributing 61+ lunch kits—helping families prepare more than 1,000 lunches for children who might otherwise go without.

The impact is clear and deeply encouraging.

One North Shore school reported that attendance among supported students rose dramatically—from 34%, 45%, and 65% up to 97–100%—after receiving consistent lunch kit support. Teachers also noted improved focus, better behaviour, and children experiencing the dignity of having a lunch like their peers.

Another school shared that barriers to attendance caused by food insecurity have significantly reduced, with some students improving attendance by 10–15%, and one child increasing from 43% to 91%.

These lunch kits do more than provide food. They restore dignity, strengthen whānau, and help children arrive at school ready to learn.

💛 How you can help during the North Shore Food Drive:

• Sponsor a week of lunch kits ($900)
• Sponsor a school term ($9,000)
• Make a financial contribution of any amount

Banking details for donations:

The Good Works Charitable Trust
ASB: 12-3035-0762738-01
Reference: lunch

They are a registered charity and can provide giving receipts.

Together, we can ensure that no child misses out on learning because of an empty lunchbox.

This July and August, as you take part in the North Shore Food Drive, consider donating to the Good Works' Trust School Lunch Kits programme.

To donate or learn more, go to https://www.aucklandchurchnetwork.nz/shore-winter-food-drive

❄️ 𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞 ❄️

July & August 2026

Food insecurity is a growing challenge on the North Shore, and together we can make a difference.

Calling Churches, Community Groups, Schools...

Over the past two years, our community has donated thousands of food items to support local families facing hardship.

This year, the North Shore Food Security Network, Auckland Church Network, KiwiHarvest, and other partners are coming together once again—and we'd love your organisation to be involved.

You can help by:
✅ Promoting the food drive
✅ Becoming a collection point
✅ Transporting donated food
✅ Distributing food to those in need

If your church, organisation, community group or school would like to participate, we'd love to hear from you.

🔗 Register your interest here: https://forms.gle/ygiV8yHLqiEqyWvY7

🔗 For more information :
https://www.aucklandchurchnetwork.nz/shore-winter-food-drive

Together, we can help strengthen food security across the North Shore this winter. 💙

Last month we farewelled Dale Campbell, who was a core part of our team for three years. Dale's levels of kindness, generosity & warmth are incredible. He is a humble man who loves God, loves the Church in all it's aspects, and genuinely loves people. Dale led many initiatives over his three years, including the Auckland Prayer Breakfast content, the Auckland Prayer Walk, our Lent devotional series The Daily, the combined food drives across the North Shore & West Auckland, and as a ministry supervisor. Dale is a brilliant connector amongst pastors & other Christian leaders, and a strong communicator. We are cheering him on in his new role at Visionwest and know he'll be a huge gift there. Kia ora Dale!

The Auckland Santa Parade was a great success!

The participants met at Elim Church in the morning to get into their costumes and have a final run through of the day, before we made our way up to Vincent Street, where the Nativity Float was stationed, ready to go!

The route took us all the way down Queen Street, past 150,000 people, the choir singing Joy to the World and other carols that spoke of the good news of Jesus.

We then gathered at Aotea Square for the After Party, and had a booth offering fun and games (thanks to Red Frogs NZ), books telling of the Christmas story (thanks to Bible Society and Shining Lights Trust), information about other upcoming Christmas events in communities around the city, and the opportunity to take a photo with Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus.

A massive thank you to everyone who donated to make this all happen, to all those who got involved on the day, and to everyone who prayed for this event.

Together, we were able to bring the gift of Christ back to Auckland City this Christmas.

Meri Kirihimete.

BEN MAI Manager of Auckland Church Network Simon O'Connor is joined by Ben Mai from the Auckland Church Network, which is organising a Nativity float for the Auckland Santa Parade for the first time in 15 years. The float, featuring biblical characters and an angelic choir, aims to highlight the religious origins of Christmas and bring to...