Mission Q&A

Here at The Wellington City Mission, we receive hundreds of general enquiries from people wanting to know more about our services and the work of The Mission.  So we thought it was time to begin a 'Q&A' page on our website - something we could add to as a knowledge base for interested people.

Welcome to our Q&A page!

Q:  Is it easy to maintain the level of food in The Mission Foodbank?

A:  No - it is always a challenge collecting food for food parcels and raising money to pay the salaries for Mission staff who manage our Foodbank.  The Foodbank costs around $120,000 to run each year, and that doesn't include the $300,000 worth of food that is donated to us each year.  So, it is a very expensive service to run, and we are thankful for the support of individuals and businesses who offer their help.

Q:  How does The Mission encourage people to donate food? 

A:  We run two large campaigns each year (at Christmas with our 'Be a Christmas Star' campaign and in June with our "Brown Paper Bag' mid-year food appeal) and we are always out and about collecting donated goods.  We have strong support from lots of schools, shops, supermarkets, businesses and individuals - and people are always happy to give us their spare food.  Sometimes we have to advise through the media or our Newsletters that we are low on food supplies, but we generally receive good support and extra food donations through promoting our needs.

Q:  Do the people who qualify for food from The Mission Foodbank get to choose what food they receive?

A:  No - we have set food parcels depending on the size of the family.  We try to ensure that there is a healthy mix of food that will help a family get through a week.  The food parcels are just considered a supplement to what people can afford themselves - not the sole source of food.  You can learn more about what goes into our food parcels by clicking here ... So what's in a food parcel?

Q:  What are the systems involved in running The Mission Foodbank?  Do people donate all the food?  Or do people donate money and you buy food? 

A:  All of the above.  We try to get as much food as possible donated, because we need the money that we fundraise for to pay other bills - salaries, rent, that sort of thing - and these administrative costs are substantial.

Q:  The Mission produces a range of frozen meals called Ezee Meals.  How do you get Ezee Meals to people?

A:  People either pick these up from our centre in Newtown, from one of our outlets or sometimes they are delivered to homes by volunteers if people are unable to get these themselves.  Please click through to our Ezee Meal section here to find out more ... Ezee Meals.

Q:  Do you try to keep your Ezee Meals healthy, if so, how?

A:  Yes.  All of our Ezee Meals have a low salt and sugar content.  Meals also have a high protein content and top quality ingredients.  The menu is carefully designed to ensure high quality levels of nutrition.

Q:  What systems do you have in place to help fundraise?

A:  We have 2 full-time staff and one part-timer working in our Marketing & Fundraising team.  These staff are constantly seeking donations through mail appeals to supporters, grant applications to Trusts, managing fundraising events, Government contracts, Street Appeals ... to name but a few.  Whilst these 3 individuals are the official fundraisers here, everyone who works for The Mission works hard to raise our profile, and as such, they are really important fundraising ambassadors too.

Q:  Does The Mission logo have any significant meaning?  If so what does it mean?

A:  Yes - the graphic element of our logo is a cross.  The Mission is a Charitable Trust affiliated to the Anglican Church, and our vision is to be an outstanding provider of services, founded on Christian care and compassion, for people in the Greater Wellington region who are at risk or struggling to achieve a quality life.

Q:  Can you see a difference between the same person before and after they have been on a Mission programme?  Are there any success stories?

A:  Yes, we have many success stories as people move towards independence and self-reliance.  You can check some of these stories out here ... What We Do.

Q:  What drives The Wellington City Mission to keep going?

A:  Our vision that those who are often regarded least by society within Greater Wellington - people struggling with poverty, isolation, stigmatism, or oppression of any form - are valued first and foremost by God and therefore by The Mission.  It is with these people that we work to help restore quality of life.  Thomas Fielden Taylor, City Missioner between 1919 and 1937 stated 'We are a Voice - we are a mouthpiece for the underdog of both sexes, old and young.  So long as there are underdogs, we hope to continue to exist.'