Waaka, 58, started Feed a Bro after being judged by others while seeking help to feed her family 10 years ago.
“I was struggling on a benefit with a son and I was looking after my grandkids at the time,” she said.
One of her friends told the Spreydon resident about a free food service that was being offered in the central city.
“So I went in, and all I could hear was people saying, ‘what’s that lady doing here? She shouldn’t be here, she’s got a car and she doesn’t look like she needs these feeds’.”
She said just because she had a car, people assumed she was well off.
“The free food we got during the week helped me and my family to survive.”
The experience left a sour taste in her mouth, so Waaka decided to set up her own free, non-judgemental meal service.
“I don’t judge anyone because I’m in the same boat as a lot of them. I really am.”
Waaka organises free weekly meals at The Margaret Mahy Family Playground on Mondays, and in Cathedral Square on Tuesdays.
She also takes food out to homeless people living in the red zone.
“It’s never really planned. Just whenever I can, wherever there’s a need.”
She said the meals weren’t only for those sleeping rough, but low income people with families as well.
“They’re for anyone that’s struggling. A lot of people are too humble to go to these feeds and won’t go when they should.”
Known as ‘flowsfeeds’ on TikTok, Waaka has built a strong online following, using social media to spread awareness.
“It’s the only way I can keep this going – let people see what I’m doing to get more food donations.
“I get a lot of feedback every day. Most people love what I’m doing, but I also get a lot of hate too.”
She said some people don’t agree with what she does.
“Especially the workers. They think homeless people and people on a low incomes don’t deserve me doing this and they need to get out and get a job.
“Well it’s okay for them to say that.”
Waaka said high rents and the price of food going up were forcing some people to live in their cars.
“Everything is just skyrocketing. I know what it’s like struggling with all the prices of food right now.”
“I look at it like it’s my job, it’s what I do. Even though I’m getting a benefit from the government, I feel like I’m giving back, by what I'm doing.”
Waaka has found it hard to find work, as she doesn’t have any qualifications.
At one point she was also homeless with her son and two grandchildren.
“I was working part-time and then my daughter needed some help. It wasn’t working out with childcare and all that, so I threw my job in to look after them.”
She said rent became too much to afford and she was out on the street.
“I was staying at my sister’s and living in a car for probably about eight months before I got a house through Kāinga Ora.”
She said much of the country still lacks compassion or understanding around the causes of homelessness.
“Yes, some choose it, but for many, it’s circumstance – whether that’s losing a job or rent going up.”
Waaka encourages people not to simply “walk away” when they see others struggling.
“Jump in and try and do something for them. It doesn’t matter if it’s just making a pot of food and taking it down to them. There’s a lot of homeless people out there.”
She said she was always looking for things to do and ways to encourage people to donate goods to “keep this thing going”.
“This is it. This is my life.”
- To make a donation, contact Flow on Yashaya@outlook.co.nz or PO Box 42037 T.J. Christchurch 8149, with drop-offs on Mondays and Tuesdays
