Bellyful charity reaches further into Hawke's Bay community

A Bellyful volunteer delivers some ready made meals to a mum. Photo / Supplied

Bellyful was born in 2009 in Franklin (south of Auckland) by Jacqui Ritchie after she struggled to put food on the table for her family while looking after her newborn baby.

She thought how wonderful it would be if someone delivered some ready made meals to her door.

Today the charity, which has 25 branches nationwide including Napier, is expanding into Hastings.

The local branch will be called Bellyful Hawke's Bay.

Bellyful Hawke's Bay Branch coordinator Sharne Ramsay, who has been involved with the charity for 10 years since it began in Napier, is excited about the expansion of their area.

"It will be great to be able to support Hastings families. There is such a need at the moment and it feels good to be able to help," Sharne said.

The charity delivers yummy frozen meals to anyone with a baby or young children who doesn't have a lot of support.

Recipients are referred from Plunket nurses, midwives, community social workers, family and friends, or from the person looking for support.

"These are often exhausted new parents, whānau where someone is unwell, have no extended family locally, or who are just simply going through a tough patch."

The Napier branch of Bellyful was founded in 2012, and since then volunteers have cooked and delivered more than 6000 meals to 830 whānau.

"We have had demand from beyond Napier for some time and it feels really special to be able to help fill more bellies in the year we are celebrating our 10th birthday," Sharne said.

"Covid has also impacted our families with people not being able to get out to supermarkets."

Meals are cooked around once a month by a team of volunteers in a "Cookathon", then packaged and frozen. They are then delivered by volunteers.

There are five staple meals all delivered free of charge.

Deliveries are usually one-off, however, Bellyful always follows up with whānau and sometimes there might be the need for a second delivery. They also make contact with recipients before delivery.

Volunteers are vital to Bellyful Hawke's Bay — without them the charity would not be able to provide this special support for families.

"Being a Bellyful volunteer is a fun way to give back to your community and get to know some other kind-hearted locals. Whether you end up chopping onions or delivering meals, you make a difference," Sharne said.

"Whānau often tell us how much of a weight lifts from their shoulders when a kind volunteer drops off meals, and how it makes them feel like their community cares."

While Sharne is a 2IC, she is also looking for someone to help her with admin duties.

"We are also of course also looking for volunteers."

Apply to be a Bellyful volunteer at www.bellyful.org.nz/become-a-volunteer.