Habitat for Humanity helping Northlanders with winter warmer packs

Habitat for Humanity volunteer Larissa Lemmen is helping to put together winter warmer kits which will be distributed to Northland families. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Freezing Northland families that have been heating their homes with ovens are grateful for winter warmer packs provided by Habitat for Humanity.

The housing charity's Te Tai Tokerau branch has received funding to buy, package and distribute 100 winter warmer packs to keep whānau warm and dry this winter.

It's the first time the project has been carried out in Northland, after being successfully piloted in Auckland last year in response to whānau experiencing a cold winter indoors due to Covid-19.

Habitat for Humanity Tai Tokerau operations manager Carina Dickson said people warming their homes using ovens was "not uncommon" in Northland.

"If there's no other option then that's what people do," she said. "It's not uncommon to hear that.

"Our advice is not to do that but we do understand if whānau have no other option that's what they do. That's why we're providing heaters, so they have a better option."

The packs, valued at $180 each, include a heater, blankets, a doorsnake and a scoopy, which is used to scrape condensation off windows to keep dampness out of the air.

They also include a hygrometer, which measures humidity and temperature in the home, and information about how to make it warmer, drier and healthier.

The ideal humidity inside is below 70 per cent; any higher and mould can thrive, causing ill health and respiratory illness.

Habitat's volunteers started filling and organising the packs to go out two weeks ago.

They are being distributed via Habitat's partners such as Te Roroa Group, Manawa Ora, Te Whare Ruruhau O Meri, and Te Uri o Hau who have identified Northlanders in need.

Funding has come from Mercury, Starship Foundation, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and Ministry of Social Development.

"This year, thanks to all our funders, we are able to pilot this programme in Northland with 100 whānau who will now be warmer this winter," Dickson said.

Families who have received the packs so far have expressed an "overwhelming sense of gratitude", Dickson said.

"Most people are just really pleased and grateful they can stay warmer and healthier.

"Generally, they're living in cold, damp, drafty homes, and that's what we're trying to mitigate."

Specialist fire investigator Jason Goffin said using ovens to heat homes was not recommended as it posed a fire risk.

"Ovens are not designed for that application. If doors are open things can get in there and ignite.

"They would be better off going to the Warehouse and getting a cheap column heater and using that to keep warm."

Goffin also recommended getting chimney flues cleaned once a year, ideally before winter sets in, and not putting anything within one metre of any heat source, including open fires and heaters.

Habitat for Humanity is a not-for-profit organisation that collaborates with people offering goodwill and families in housing need to eliminate sub-standard housing.

Locally, it runs a Home Repair programme for low-income whānau who own their home and are unable to afford repairs and maintenance, along with the second-hand charity shop, ReStore in Port Whangārei.