This blog has been written by Jessie, our Referral Hub Co‑ordinator. Jessie is often the first point of contact for whānau seeking a free home assessment, and she’s regularly out in the community building relationships - making sure people know about our service, and ensuring we stay connected to the wider network of wrap‑around support available.
I recently had the pleasure of visiting the Ministry of Social Development team in Te Puke.
It was such a valuable opportunity to sit kanohi ki te kanohi and share more about the mahi we do through Sustainability Options - how our free home assessments work, what support we can offer, and how we can walk alongside the whānau they journey with every day.
What really stood out to me was the enthusiasm in the room. When I started sharing a few simple Healthy Homes tips and tricks, the team leaned in with genuine interest. You could feel how committed they are to supporting whānau wellbeing, and how much they appreciated having practical tools they could pass on.
I left feeling absolutely energised. There’s something special about connecting with people who care deeply about their community and who want to collaborate for better outcomes. That kind of passion is contagious.
I love being able to share information about our mahi - not just because it’s my job, but because I truly believe in the work we do. Every conversation is a chance to empower another whānau, strengthen a partnership, or spark a new pathway of support.
Days like today remind me why I’m so passionate about this kaupapa.
You can read more about who our different referral partners are on our 20 Degrees website:
