Vikki Maclean

Help Me Make a Difference

I love to cook, whether it is for family or friends. Food has this way of gathering people around the table that I just love.

I am very fortunate that I can put food on the table. But over the years I have come to understand that food is so much more than just nutrition. A warm meal feeds the body yes, but it also feeds the soul. It gives people a sense of dignity, of belonging, of being cared for. It is good for your mental health in ways we do not always stop to think about.

That understanding has been deepened watching my son, an elite athlete, and seeing first-hand just how profoundly what we eat shapes not only physical performance but mood, focus, resilience, and mental wellbeing. It has made me think so much more carefully about what it means for people who do not have that foundation at all.

And that is exactly what I want us to think about. If you are lucky enough to sit down to a warm meal today, just pause for a moment and think about what it would feel like if you could not. The loneliness of that. The hopelessness. A roof over your head, companionship, a warm meal. These are not luxuries, they are what every person deserves.

That is why the work Auckland City Mission does matters so much. And it is why I am taking part in the Cook Off on 8th June, joining senior business leaders and top chefs at the NZ International Convention Centre for Auckland City Mission - Te Tāpui Atawhai's Cook Off. For one night, we come together to cook a delicious four-course meal for over 200 Mission guests, people experiencing homelessness or facing a daily struggle to put food on the table. Our collective goal is an ambitious $400,000.

EVERY SINGLE WEEK, over 1,600 warm and nutritious meals are served in Haeata, the Mission's community dining room, to people living on the streets or in substandard accommodation without any ability to cook. Together we are aiming to raise enough to provide over 25,000 meals for people at Haeata this winter.

I am proud to be part of The Cook Off but I cannot do it without you. If you are able to, please make a donation. Every single one will make a difference.