Kāinga Whakatipu Healthy Homes
Kāinga Whakatipu is a Healthy Homes Initiative that supports whānau in the MidCentral region to make their homes warm, dry and safe for their children. Palmerston North Hospital Foundation is proud to help facilitate this - we’re a conduit that receives funding from the Eastern and Central Community Trust, which we then distribute to the MidCentral programme.
Cold and damp housing has a significant and real impact on health. Every New Zealander should be able to live in a warm, dry, healthy home, and this work is helping make this a reality. The name Kāinga Whakatipu refers to the home as a place where whānau grow, are cared for and cherished. It also reflects the idea of building a more prosperous future.
Thanks to the Eastern and Central Community Trust’s funding, this programme has expanded to 50 additional households each year in Horowhenua and Tararua. It’s also meant they could widen the eligibility criteria to include kaumatua (the elderly) and tangata whaikaha (people living with disabilities).
What the programme provides
When a whānau is referred to Kāinga Whakatipu, the team visits their home and carries out an assessment. From there, they then work alongside household members to make practical improvements. These changes are designed to create safer, warmer and healthier living environments. Support can include:
Sharing advice on how to keep a home warm and dry through ventilation, heat retention and reducing moisture.
Small repairs such as draught-stopping or fixing window latches to reduce heat loss.
Supplying mould kits and Scoopys to help manage moisture.
Providing bedding, blankets and heaters where needed.
Supplying and installing quality curtains, in partnership with the Palmerston North Curtain Bank, and carpet pieces donated by The Flooring Room.
Referrals to other programmes and agencies, including Fire and Emergency for smoke alarms, Habitat for Humanity for larger repairs, EECA’s Warmer Kiwi Homes, and the Ministry of Social Development.
Advocacy support for tenants where a landlord needs to address serious issues.
These changes may seem minor, but together they make a big difference. When it’s easier and more affordable to heat a home, it helps reduce preventable illnesses and improves daily life for everyone. For families on limited incomes, this practical help can be life-changing, and they often share what they’ve learned with others.
Real change, real impact
A grandmother who can now keep her mokopuna warm through the winter and manage their asthma. A three-generation family - whose little one had been admitted to hospital multiple times - got help tackling severe black mould, including repairs to prevent it from coming back. A person living with disability, whose home now has heaters and draught-proofing. “I am that grateful, I am tearful thinking about it,” said one parent. “We are so grateful for your service and showing us what was needed.”
Supporting more whānau
This programme is not exclusively for Māori, but works closely with Māori and Pasifika service providers to ensure whānau most in need are given priority access. The core programme focuses on homes with tamariki, but supporting kaumatua also means improving homes where mokopuna (grandchildren) often visit regularly.
In total, the service now has funding to support 270 whānau each year. Through our facilitation and Eastern and Central Community Trust’s financial support, more local families have been able to benefit from warmer, safer homes – and the knowledge to maintain them for years to come.
This is just the beginning for the Foundation.
We have many other projects in the pipeline. If you’d be interested in supporting a specific area or project, please let us know.
Get in touch today at info@pnhospitalfoundation.co.nz
