What we do

Motueka Community House has been at the heart of Motueka’s social and personal wellbeing needs since 1991. Our mission is simple: to bring people and community organisations together in a hub that supports wellbeing, by promoting nourishment, connections, and safety.

Every week, around 300 people walk through our doors — looking for a listening ear, a support group, help with food, a place to hold a meeting, or simply a warm, inclusive space where they feel safe to talk about what they’re facing. Our management and reception team is here five days a week, 8.30am – 4pm, trained to help people find the support they need. Read some of our stories here.

We believe this is a crucial service for the wellbeing of the Motueka community as a whole, alongside the value of a sound economy and healthy environment.

Connection and belonging

We run a busy calendar of activities that bring people together, including:

A free monthly Community Lunch, open to anyone, feeding 50–65 people who may be vulnerable or isolated
A weekly cuppa, cake and chat morning
Daily reception drop-in and chat service
Winter soup in reception during the colder months
Monthly Community and Whānau Network meetings, connecting over 150 local agencies
Weekly support groups, multicultural cooking classes, baby circles, craft groups, and family group conferences
Our annual Christmas Get Together — last year supporting over 300 people from 135 families nominated by local social agencies, with food, gifts, entertainment, and a “give and take” area for donated goods

Reducing food insecurity

Our 24/7 food share shelf is available to anyone, free from judgement — stocked by community donations of fresh produce, pantry items, eggs, meat, and more. Alongside this, we provide emergency kai parcels to 30–60 families and individuals every week, made possible through partnerships with:

Motueka New World and Foodstuffs Community Trust
Nelson Kai Rescue and the NZ Food Network
Te Kotahi o Te Tauihu Pātaka and the Motueka Food Network
Local orchardists and the Community Gardens
The “Meat the Need” programme

We also share food supplies with other organisations, including the Motueka Family Service Centre, The Shed, and Gateway Housing Trust — making sure kai reaches people wherever the need is greatest.

A home for local organisations

We provide affordable office space to 14 non-profit organisations, along with casual office and venue hire for local groups and activities. Their clients can also access everything we offer — our food shelves, drop-in service, community lunches, and more — alongside our own.

Our noticeboard is always full of pamphlets providing an information and promotional outlet for the many clubs and services in and around Motueka. And our meeting room (pictured below), which has a capacity of around 40 people, is used for a small fee by many organisations, including our own monthly Community & Whanau meeting. It also has kitchen facilities.

Working with, and for, our community

We’re committed to embedding Te Tiriti o Waitangi in our work, engaging with tangata whenua for cultural guidance, and supporting our staff and volunteers through Te Tiriti training and cultural supervision.

Following the major flooding event in our region, several of our staff and volunteers completed Red Cross Psychological First Aid training, strengthening our ability to recognise need, offer support, and connect people with the right services. During that flooding event the Community House became a first responder for people in need, seeking emergency shelter, food and clothing.

Looking ahead

As the cost of living rises and community services come under growing pressure, the need for what we do keeps growing too. We recently completed our first-ever Strategic Plan in over 33 years of operation, setting out our vision, values, and goals to guide the years ahead. And this year (2026) we became a registered Charitable Trust with a new group of dedicated trustees including some who previously served on the organising committee.

Above all, Motueka Community House exists because of the people who make it what it is: staff, volunteers, tenant organisations, donors, and every person who walks through our door. Together, we’re building a place where everyone feels welcomed, supported, and part of something bigger.

If you believe that our operation and service inspires you and is something you’d like to support financially, read more here >

Our stories

(All names are fictitious, but the stories are true.)

Anna is a young mum of 2 wee boys who frequents the house. She attends the Mana Wahine mums’ group on a Tuesday which is a great supportive platform for her and the boys. She asks for help sometimes and we happily give her food support. She is very self-sufficient even though she has faced many challenges. She is a positive influence on those around her and often has supportive conversations with others in reception. She says how much she enjoys coming here and how it’s so great for people to have a supportive place to come to. We’ve watched her bloom over the last couple of years since she has been coming here.

Paul was mentally unwell and deep into a methamphetamine addiction, and was supported daily by us for about a year. He was unable to look after himself and was constantly losing his possessions, getting abused by others, unable to hold down accommodation or relationships with others and was consequently homeless. After much support and many talks, he agreed to go to rehabilitation. This was a huge step, and he was terrified of facing his demons. But he did it! He has now been drug-free for about a year, is in stable accommodation and in a good relationship.

Chrissy is one of our volunteers who has been coming to Community House for years accessing our services and pottering around in the garden. She has suffered some terrible traumas in her life and has made some difficult and not always great choices. We have worked hard to gain her trust as we see great potential in her as a giving, caring member of the community. She has found her happy, safe place within her volunteer role at Community House. She shows up voluntarily most days to lend a hand doing whatever needs doing. She bags food, cleans, squashes boxes, helps collect apples from a local orchardist, potters in the garden, runs errands and makes cups of tea! She interacts with others and what a considered, caring listener she is to all people, giving out sound, sensible advice.