Community development organisation I Love Avondale is helping build a stronger, more connected Avondale. Initiatives such as Feed the Streets, Keep Young & Play Games, and the Pātiki Holiday Programme respond to local needs while fostering a shared sense of neighbourhood.
‘A lot of people in our community are doing it tough right now. I don’t think a lot of what we offer is a nice to have, as for many it’s essential,’ says I Love Avondale Director Katy Galo. She says the team provides much more than services. Through food, activities and practical support, it helps make a meaningful difference for people who may otherwise have to do without.
Keep Young & Play Games, a drop-in for seniors, is a new addition to this year’s programme. The closure of the Hope Centre’s weekly sessions for older people highlighted the need for another opportunity to connect. Held on Friday mornings from 10 am to noon, the sessions are already proving popular. They offer seniors the chance to enjoy a friendly board game, cards or chess challenge over a cuppa and biscuit.
The drop-in builds on I Love Avondale’s other successful community programmes. Kai Avondale delivers the monthly Feed the Streets community meal, with 4,160 locals enjoying a delicious two-course meal last year. The Free Guys social pantry was also busy, gifting 6,240 food parcels and 5,760 ready-to-eat meals to community members.
Avondale’s younger residents are also well supported. More than 10,000 before-school breakfasts were served to tamariki at Te Kura o Pātiki – Rosebank School, ensuring children who might otherwise start the day hungry received a nourishing meal and were ready to learn.
The free school holiday programme is another firm favourite with parents and tamariki. ‘Our school holiday programme has given over 150 local tamariki the opportunity to enjoy sports, arts and other things they may not otherwise experience during their holiday break, building confidence and friendships along the way. It’s also at no cost to whānau, so it’s a win-win,’ says Katy.
The charitable trust is also developing a community emergency hub at Haven, 1855 Great North Road. Katy says the hub will strengthen neighbourhood preparedness, coordination and mutual support during emergencies. ‘By building relationships and knowledge before a crisis occurs, the community will be better equipped to respond together and support those who are most vulnerable,’ she says.
Behind every meal, activity and connection are the project leaders who make I Love Avondale’s programmes possible. However, Katy says staffing is also one of the organisation’s greatest financial challenges. Funding of $20,000 from the 2026 Your West Support Fund will make a significant contribution towards wages and salaries, helping I Love Avondale retain the people who turn its ideas into practical support.
‘Funding for salaries is often the hardest to secure, but it’s what makes everything else possible,’ says Katy. ‘This support means we can keep our leads in these roles, delivering programmes and initiatives that have a massive impact on many in our community.’
Learn more about I Love Avondale at iloveavondale.co.nz or follow them on Facebook.
If you or your organisation could use support from The Trusts, find out how to apply at thetrusts.co.nz/our-funds.
