“What do I do?” That’s the question that drives Dr Emma Stanley, who helps to run the new Greerton Community Hub – which is a hybrid community centre paired with a doctor clinic.

Upon walking in, one could be mistaken for stepping into a front room in someone’s house, something warm and comfortable compared to other doctors’ offices.

The Greerton Community Hub primarily caters for those on the edges of society in Tauranga, but founders of the charity shop idea, Shirlz Kelly and Stanley, stress “that everyone is welcome”.

Stanley and Kelly opened the hub – based at 1298 Cameron Rd – over the Christmas period.

At the hub, there is a desperate need for volunteers to help run the shop-front, something Kelly believes gives those in dire need of self-worth, something to strive for.

“We need people here that have empathy and are listening,” Kelly said.

Acute challenges (sidehead)

People living on the street face acute challenges when trying to obtain medical assistance, where a simple lack of basic medical care can cause huge issues, Stanley said.

“Sometimes there is severe anxiety or depression that can be treated.”

Some people will have mothers, fathers, aunties, uncles and close family ties to support them when life gets dark – but not everyone is so lucky, Kelly said.

“When you have nothing, how are you supposed to get ahead?”

The community hub is not the only outreach Dr Stanley assists with. She works closely with Wayne Shadbolt, who runs The Tūmanako Project, where participants can access hot meals, showers and laundry services.

Since last year, Stanley has hosted a free GP service clinic run by Epic Health from 7.30am-9.30am in LifeZone Church, Judea.

“A patient supported by the project introduced me to Tūmanako. I’d been exploring alternatives for offering pro bono services, and this project was a perfect fit.”

Stanley began by joining the community for Tūmanako breakfast, building trust, and offering consultations when needed.

“Now, we have patients regularly coming in for medical care,” she said.

Tūmanako has thrown open its door every Thursday for three years and welcomes people from all walks of life with a “hearty breakfast”, Shadbolt said.

“We’ve had from young kids to retirees, lost their home, lost their family.”

Enhance mana (sidehead)

Shadbolt said participants can also access hot showers and laundry services to enhance their mana and volunteers treat them with the respect and care they deserve. Trust has been built with his outreach programme, and it listens without judgment at Lifezone Church at Judea, Shadbolt said.

“Just sit down, have a conversation, and listen,” he said. The church can also act as a mailing address, so those without a home can gain access to a community services card or be taken to the hospital if needed.

Stanley believes this outreach by Shadbolt has resulted in making “magical things happen”.

“People who are living on the streets with a lot of dysfunction – including childhood trauma – sometimes have had head injuries with frontal lobe damage, so they can’t problem-solve.

“They’re on the back foot. They feel unworthy, and they feel like they have been judged.”

Stanley said she’d based the Greerton Community Hub idea on the Bromley by Bow Centre.

Located in London’s East End, it’s a place that acts as an oasis of calm among the concrete skyscrapers.

“It was like you were in a community centre and instantly part of that community,” said Stanley, who has 30 years’ experience as a doctor.

Rewarding work (sidehead)

At the hub, there are three medical doctors, two overseas doctors and two nurses, Stanley said. When she moved to New Zealand, there was no intention of starting a community hub or embarking on the mission she had undertaken.

“The bottom line is helping people like this who are really struggling is rewarding work.”

Despite such rewarding work, there is financial pressure, with Kelly and Stanley left out of pocket.

“You financially get less revenue, so you have less resource to work with. On a small scale, we can help ourselves.

“‘There are enough people with money, who do want to help the homeless and hard-up struggling families’ as Liz Kite, founder of Under The Stars, said – but they are not always sure how to.”

Donating items, funds or their time at the Community Hub at 1298 Cameron Rd can be a way to do this; and it’s a heart-warming feeling to make such a difference in someone’s life with a smile, respect and kindness, said Stanley.

Volunteers wanted (sidehead)

The Journey Restorative Trust Charity, which had been dedicated to improving lives in Greerton for 14 years, is excited to support the holistic health hub as an extension of their work at “Mana” on Friday nights. The various volunteers feed 150-plus hard-up folks in Greerton Community Hall each Friday night.

“It’s incredible work and really rewarding for the volunteers, who learn so much from the life stories of the attendees,” said Stanley. “There are many humbling and heart-warming experiences for volunteers at Mana and now at the hub too!

“Come along and join in anytime! New volunteers are always welcome.”

To find out more, email: admin@epichealth.nz or visit: www.journeytrust.nz

To donate to the patient hardship fund by the registered charity (CC50714), use the following details. Bank account name: Journey Restorative Trust. Bank Account number: 03-0445-0842438-00. Ref: Patient Hardship Fund.