Kelli Bennett is the Manager of the LifeCare Centre. She attends Manukau City Baptist Church in Auckland.
On Thursday, July 10th, the LifeCare Centre at Manukau City Baptist Church threw a special lunch to celebrate a huge milestone; 10 amazing years of serving our community! We gathered with our awesome volunteers, staff, supporters, and community partners to mark the occasion and reflect on all that’s happened since we opened our doors.
While the Centre officially launched in 2015, the dream began much earlier. A small group of people felt called to create a place that would show God’s love in action, offering compassion, hope, and real, practical support to individuals and families right here in our local community.
Our mission today is simple but powerful: Hope-filled Whānau, Transformed Communities.
We started out with just a few key programmes (parenting courses, a Job Club, and an English class) all designed to walk alongside people and give them tools for everyday life. Those early days laid a strong foundation for everything that’s followed.
Fast forward to 2020, and after a lot of prayer and planning, we launched our Pop-Up Op Shop. It was originally just a way to help fund the Centre, but it’s become so much more than that. These days, it’s a buzzing little hub where locals drop in for a barista-made coffee, a good yarn with friendly faces, and a browse through the racks. It’s become a real space of connection, comfort, and community.
Today, we run a bunch of free, practical programmes to help people fill their kete with tools for all sorts of life challenges e.g. parenting (Space, Toolbox), learning English, managing money (CAP Money Course), and building confidence (Women of Worth).
We also run the Food Station, support groups for caregivers (Awhi Mai), and Celebrate Recovery, a programme for people working through life’s hurts, hang-ups, and habits.
None of this would be possible without our incredible volunteers. Each week they pour in more than 87 hours of time through prayer, running programmes, and helping in the Op Shop. Their dedication and heart keep this place going.
As we look back on the past 10 years, we’re feeling incredibly thankful.
Here’s to the next chapter!
Photo Supplied by Kelli Bennett
