FAQS

Registering is easy - Sign Up to go straight to the registration form.

If you would like assistance, please email us at: fundraising@aucklandcitymission.org.nz 

No, it is completely free to participate in The Big Mission Home. 

We ask that you fundraise a suggested target of $500 or more per individual - or as much as you can - for the Auckland City Mission - Te Tāpui Atawhai.

The money you raise will support the Mission's HomeGround services.  This ensures that people living on the streets, in unsuitable housing or experiencing poverty, have access to food, healthcare, affordable housing options and caring support.  

Yes!

Complete it solo or with your mates, family or colleagues…it’s up to you.

If you’d like to fundraise as a team, simply follow the instructions on the registration form.

Sign Up Today

Thank you!

We are so grateful for your support. You can donate to The Big Mission Home.  Donate now.

You can also find out other ways to support the Mission here. Thank you. 

We suggest a fundraising target of $500 but the sky's the limit!

Every dollar you raise will help provide crisis care, safe homes, nutrious meals and health care for Aucklanders in greatest need.

Fundraising can feel daunting but people are often surprised by how much they are able to raise! We have lots of easy, tried-and-tested fundraising tips and advice here to help you reach your fundraising goal.

You’re welcome to call our team on 027 700 9123 or email us fundraising@aucklandcitymission.org.nz
for more support.

We’re with you every step of the way. 

Your personal online fundraising page for The Big Mission Home will be created automatically when you register, and you will be sent an email with instructions for personalising your page. 

Choose the "login" option at the top of the website.  If you can’t find the email or have any problems accessing your page, get in touch with us at fundraising@aucklandcitymission.org.nz 

Once you’ve personalised your page, you’re ready to share the link with your friends, family and colleagues to ask for their support.
There are links to all major social media platforms on your page, ready to share!

All donations are secure and encrypted and when they are made through your page are sent direct to the Auckland City Mission.  Your donors will automatically receive a tax receipt for their donation. 

You will also be able to thank all of your donors through your fundraising page and they also get a thank you from us.  

We’re here to help, so if you’re finding it difficult to fundraise, give us a call on 027 700 9123 and our fundraising team will be happy to help.

We just ask that you raise as much as you can - there is no penalties for not reaching your goal.

But be encouraged, most people do find they can reach their target!  Every dollar raised ensures people people living on the streets, in unsuitable housing or experiencing poverty have access to food, health care, affordable housing options and caring support. 

All the money you raise will ensure that people living on the streets, in unsuitable housing or experiencing poverty continue to have access to food, health care, affordable housing options and caring support.

The Auckland City Mission - Te Tāpui Atawhai is audited each year and all our activities are documented in our Annual Reports.  They are a good read!  You can find them here 

17k is symbolic of the daily challenges that were faced by people experiencing homelessness in our city before the Mission's HomeGround building was built. 

Previously 'streeties' like Kevin walked as much as 17km in a day - rain or shine - to access kai, shelter, health care and other essential support, as well as to connect with other street whānau.  You can read more about Kevin’s story here

This year we have also added a 10km option for people who are unable to walk 17km and a "My Way" around the theme of '17k' - it could be 17,000 steps or 17000 stairs.  

The finish line is HomeGround, the Mission’s hub in central Auckland, but where you start your 17 or 10  kilometre walk on 22nd March is up to you. 

We have a suggested and fun 'Walk our City' route which we'll upload to the website soon!

Or you can map your own route using Google Maps or apps like MapMyRun where you can start from your home, workplace, or where is most suitable for you.

But we do suggest you include some of the 'walk our city' route as there will be some fun activities to do as you head to HomeGround.

HomeGround is located at 140 Hobson Street in central Auckland.

This depends on your base level of fitness and how much walking you do normally.

A 17 kilometre walk is challenging for most people and ensuring you are adequately prepared is important.

We recommend you do some training walks, working up to the distance you will be walking (17km). We also recommend you train wearing the footwear and clothing you will wear on the day and carrying the weight of a day pack.

The average walking speed varies greatly, but as a rough guide, you could expect to walk about 4 - 5km per hour.

This means it might take 3.5 - 4.5 hours to walk 17km and 2 - 3 hours for the 10km walk.

This is primarily a non competitive walk so you can experience the distances some of the people the Mission supports used to have to walk each day to access vital services .

But you are welcome to run if you have trained appropriately and are otherwise fit and able to do so, however we discourage cycling in this event given the risk to your safety.

We hope you will be able to cross the finish line on Saturday 22 March 2025 and join us at HomeGround to celebrate your achievements. 

But if you’re unable to complete the event on the day, you are welcome to undertake The Big Mission Home on another day in March, however the finish at HomeGround is only an option if you are walking on 22 March 2025.

You can create your own '17k My Way' to complete over the month of March 2025.  See our suggested ideas on the How it Works page, or create your own 17k challenge.

You can leave your start point at any time you wish, but we suggest between 9 and 10am will mean you can comfortably cross the finish line at HomeGround between 12pm and 3pm, when we’ll be hosting a relaxed celebration.

You can download a PDF with route instructions and other On the Day information here (coming soon).  

Keep an eye out for other walkers wearing The Big Mission Home caps. Don’t forget to take photos along the way and tag us @aklcitymission and #thebigmissionhome so we can follow your progress!

Every morning of the year we serve a hot nutritious meal from 8.30-11am to between 250 and 350 people.

We need to give them space and dignity to have their meal before we come in and set up the kitchen and dining room for our next event.  

That is why the Mission won't open until 12pm - please ensure you're there after that so we don't miss you and can celebrate together.  

The Big Mission Home will proceed rain or shine, so be sure to prepare accordingly!

Check the forecast in the lead up to the event and make sure you dress and pack appropriately. Sun safety will be important in March, and be sure to pack lots of water. 

If the weather is too stormy or dangerous to run the event on 22nd March and we need to cancel , we will send a text first thing in the morning on 22nd March.  Make sure that your correct number and emergency contact number are filled in on your registration so we can contact you if we need to.

We will be sending out free caps to everyone who registers for The Big Mission Home and raises at least $50 by COB  (Close Of Business) on 7th March 2025.  

The caps are not available for sale.

Friends and whānau are welcome to join in the celebrations - we will ask you closer to the time if you expect any additional guests so we can prepare accordingly.

Please be aware there are capacity limits at HomeGround and we may need to limit the number of people on the day, with priority given to people who have participated in The Big Mission Home.

HomeGround is a dog free building.  This is for multiple reasons.   We suggest leaving pooch at home this time.