One example, many impacts - local board funding at its best.
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BabyStart is a New Zealand charity, with a mission to give every pēpi the best possible start. Their belief is that every pēpi deserves warmth, safety, and care, from day one.
To achieve this, they provide a comprehensive baby box. Each BabyStart box includes around 30 brand-new, high-quality items, from clothing to nappies, books, and blankets, everything needed for the first 100 days and beyond. It’s practical support, packed with aroha.
Image: BabyStart Facebook.
In May 2024, the Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board approved a grant of $4,387.50 to support baby boxes filled with essential care items for mothers and babies, covering everything from clothing and packaging to logistics and distribution, running through to April 2025.
Board chair Tauanu’u Nick Bakulich says, “This is about manaakitanga (kindness/respect), looking after our whānau when they need it most. The baby boxes are a simple but powerful way to show care and support for new parents and pēpi in our community. It’s more than just providing essentials, it’s about dignity, love, and helping our tamariki start life with essentials. We’re proud to back initiatives that make a real, lasting difference in people’s lives.”
Image: BabyStart Facebook.
The Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board supported with $1,500 to help the distribution of baby boxes, helping cover the cost of essential clothing and care items for pēpi and māmā, along with packaging, logistics, and project administration.
Board chair Apulu Reece Autagavaia adds, “We wish we could have given more, but the demand for support has been overwhelming, a clear sign of how much need exists in our community. While we were oversubscribed this time, it shows how deeply these initiatives matter, and we’re committed to finding more ways to help in the future. Supporting baby boxes is one way we can wrap care around our whānau from day one.”
BabyStart acknowledgement for local boards support. Image: BabyStart Facebook.
In March 2016, BestStart gave their first box. Since then, they’ve delivered over 2,900 boxes to whānau in need.
They work with leading health and research organisations like Te Whatu Ora, Plunket, NZ College of Midwives, and the University of Auckland.
Three ways to get a BabyStart box
- Referral – free boxes go to families most in need, via maternity carers or social workers. Boxes depend on funding
- At-cost for organisations – boxes are available at cost to agencies, midwives, charities, and community groups
- Buy one, give one – anyone in Aotearoa can buy a $795 box. Each purchase gifts another to a baby in need.
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