Nā te whānau, mā te whānau
For our communities, by our communities. Supporting tangata whenua and Pasifika whānau across Aotearoa.
Tō Mātou Kaupapa - Our Mission
Whānau First is a grassroots community organisation supporting tangata whenua and Pasifika whānau across Aotearoa. We are local people doing real mahi - running programmes in schools, supporting families through hard times, and building pathways to brighter futures.
Our kaupapa is simple: aroha in action. We believe every whānau deserves support, every tamariki deserves opportunity, and every community deserves to thrive.
What We Do
Real mahi, real impact, real aroha
Education & Learning
Literacy programmes, homework support, and mentoring for rangatahi. Helping our tamariki reach their full potential.
Whānau Support
Food parcels, emergency housing support, and connecting families with services. Manaakitanga in action.
Community Programmes
Māra kai (community gardens), sports days, and cultural events. Building connections that strengthen our communities.
Hauora & Wellbeing
Fitness programmes, nutrition workshops, and mental health support. Looking after our people, body and soul.
Our Impact
Together, we're making a difference
Our Mahi - Recent Work
What we've been up to in our communities
Homework Club Launch - Māngere
Our newest homework club opened its doors with 45 tamariki enrolled. Local teachers and university students are volunteering as mentors.
Winter Kai Drive Success
Together we packed and delivered 320 food parcels to whānau across South Auckland. Massive thanks to our volunteers and business sponsors!
New Māra Kai - Rotorua
Community garden #8 is now growing! Local kaumātua are teaching traditional growing methods to rangatahi while neighbours connect over kumara and silverbeet.
Stories From Our Whānau
Real voices, real lives, real change
"A helping hand when we needed it most"
When my husband lost his job, Whānau First was there with food parcels and helped us connect with Work and Income. They didn't just give us kai - they gave us hope and showed us we weren't alone. That's real manaakitanga.
"My son found his confidence"
The homework club changed everything for my boy. He went from struggling and hating school to actually enjoying it. The mentors treat every kid like whānau. Now he's talking about going to uni one day!
"Community is everything"
The māra kai programme brought our whole street together. Neighbours who never talked before are now sharing vegetables and recipes. My kids are learning where food comes from and our elders are passing on knowledge. It's beautiful.
Get Involved
Join us in making a difference. There are many ways to support our kaupapa.
🙋 Volunteer
Give your time and skills. From homework help to event support, every hour makes a difference.
💚 Donate
Your koha helps us reach more whānau. Every dollar goes directly to community programmes.
🤝 Partner With Us
Businesses and organisations - let's work together to support our communities.
Kōrero Mai - Get In Touch
Whether you need support, want to volunteer, or just want to learn more about our mahi - we'd love to hear from you.
Whānau First is a registered charitable trust serving communities across Aotearoa.