Angels with Aprons: How Bellyful Volunteers Make a Difference

Bellyful, knows that sometimes the smallest acts of kindness make the biggest difference. For Kim and her whānau, that kindness came in the form of warm meals delivered with aroha, just when they needed them most.

When Kim’s daughter was diagnosed with bowel cancer just three weeks after giving birth, their world turned upside down.

“It was all a blur,” Kim recalls. “We were all in shock for weeks while she underwent multiple exams and procedures. During that time, we were managing full time jobs, looking after her daughter and newborn son, keeping up with the housework  –  no one had the capacity to grocery shop and cook.”

That’s when Bellyful stepped in.

Bellyful is a national, volunteer-led charity that nourishes whānau and connects communities by delivering free meals to families with babies and young children who are without a support network. These are families facing tough times like illness, bereavement, isolation, or the exhaustion of new parenthood. For Kim’s whānau, the support came right when they needed it most.

“We were so incredibly grateful when we received the Bellyful meals,” Kim says. “Having the Bellyful delivery helped us immensely as it provided nutritious meals at a time we needed them most to keep us going and took the stress off us having to prepare meals.”

Each meal from Bellyful is more than just food  –  it’s a gesture of aroha. Volunteers across Aotearoa come together for regular “Cookathons” to prepare freezer-friendly meals, which are then delivered to families by local volunteers. There’s no judgement, no financial criteria, just kindness and kai.

“The kindness of the Bellyful volunteers really stood out,” Kim shares. “Everyone was so kind and quick at responding.”

She still remembers the thoughtful touches, like the personalised emails from Bellyful volunteers, and the warm support from every volunteer who helped make those meals possible.

To the people behind Bellyful, Kim has a simple message: “You are all angels. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. You make such a difference, not just to the person in need, but to their families as well.”

‍

Words and images supplied by Bellyful.