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The Wellington City Mission is a charitable trust affiliated to the Anglican Church. They have been helping those most in need in the Wellington region for over 114 years, beginning in 1904 as part of St. Peter’s Church. In 1929, an Act of Parliament established The Mission as a separate entity.
Their mission is ‘Centred on Christ’s compassion, we seek to achieve fullness of life for those who are at risk or struggling in the Greater Wellington region.’ The organisation is open to help anyone regardless of their religious belief, age, ethnicity or social background, and partners with individuals and families to identify and address people’s underlying issues and create positive outcomes.
In early 2019, Wellington City Mission were looking to purchase a new building from which to operate their existing support services, and a range of new projects for Wellington’s most vulnerable community members.
Murray Edridge, City Missioner, had heard about Christian Savings from the Wellington Diocese, then approached the team at Christian Savings to see if they would be able to help with a loan for the purchase of this building. ‘Christian Savings went out of their way to support our charity’ says Murray. They were genuinely interested in the project and it felt like a partnership. The conversations and relationship we developed with their Chief Executive, management staff, and lawyer was fantastic. We found everyone to be helpful and keen to achieve the same outcomes we were looking to achieve.
“The customer service we received from Christian Savings was fantastic. As a faith-based charity it is great to know that the loan amount for the building purchase has come from the investments of people of faith across New Zealand."
Significant further funds will need to be raised by The Wellington City Mission in order for this project to be realised. Wellington City Mission provides holistic, practical support to a broad range of people, from struggling families, to at-risk youth, and vulnerable older people.
The organisation runs a drop-in centre, foodbank, alternative education centre, an elder care residential facility called Kemp Home & Hospital, offers financial mentoring and advocacy. Qualified and experienced social workers work one-on-one with individuals, families and whānau in their homes or at The Mission’s offices to assess their needs and provide a tailored plan of support. They work with them and other organisations to advocate for change and achieve positive and sustainable outcomes for their future.
‘Capital projects are a significant undertaking, and you should certainly consider working alongside Christian Savings to help you out with the purchase loan to begin your project,’ says Murray. ‘We would recommend contacting Christian Savings.’
