Mai Lighthouse

08/06/2026

🌿 Franklin Community Fuel Resilience Initiative — Weekly Update

🥕 This week — Kai on a Budget
We know that feeding your whānau well is one of the most important things and food shouldn't be this expensive. Rising grocery costs are a real pressure, and one of the most powerful things we can do is reconnect with the incredible local food systems right on our doorstep 💛

🌱 Practical ways to feed your whānau well this winter:

🧺 Franklin Market — every Saturday 8am–noon, Massey Avenue Pukekohe. Fresh, seasonal produce direct from the people who grew it. Often better value than the supermarket and you're supporting local.

🥩 Find a local butcher — quality cuts, better value, and many offer bulk buying options for the freezer. Ask about bulk orders.

🌾 Connect with a local farmer — some Franklin farms sell direct to whānau. Check community Facebook groups and look out for roadside stalls.

🍲 Cook in bulk — soups, stews, and slow-cooked kai stretch across multiple meals and keep your whānau warm and well fed all week.

🧊 Use your freezer — batch cook and freeze. Buy in bulk when available. Nothing needs to go to waste.

🌿 Grow something — even a pot of silverbeet or herbs on a windowsill makes a difference over winter.

🏠 Local food support in Franklin:

🥫 Pukekohe Salvation Army Foodbank — food parcels for whānau in need alongside practical mentoring support. Contact them directly for current hours.

🌿 Pātaka Kai — Open Street Pantries — free community pantries across Pukekohe. Take what you need, leave what you can. 👉 patakai.co.nz

🍎 Auckland Fruit Tree Map — find publicly accessible fruit and nut trees near you. 👉 aucklandclimateaction.nz/fruit-tree-map
If you're struggling this winter, our free financial mentoring service is here to help.

📞 09 238 6233 | [email protected]

A community response coordinated by Mai Lighthouse alongside Te Whare Ruruhau o Meri, Franklin Attendance Service, and local schools.

08/06/2026

Did you know we have our very own op shop in Tuakau where all the proceeds go straight back into our community? 🛍️👕

And right now, buy one get one FREE (equal or lesser value) is on for the next two weeks!

Head over to our Tuakau Op Shop page for all the details 💛

👕 TEE SHIRT SALE starts MONDAY at our Tuakau Op Shop! 🎉

Buy one tee shirt and get a second one of equal or lesser value ABSOLUTELY FREE!

We've got a great range of tees for all ages and styles - come in and grab yourself a bargain while stocks last! 🛍️

📅 Monday 8 – Saturday 20 June
🕘 Open Mon–Fri, 9am–4pm, Sat 9am-12pm
📍 5 George Street, Tuakau
👕 While stocks last!

06/06/2026

Find us on page 32 of this week’s Franklin Times! 📰💛

We’ve written about our rangatahi this week - the young people aged 16-24 navigating a world that demands so much of them, and the brand new free programme we’re launching to show up for them.

Rangatahi Strong starts Monday 15 June right here in Pukekohe an we’d love to see it full! ✨

Read full column here 🔗

https://issuu.com/times_e-editions/docs/franklin_times_june_5_2026

🗓️ Mon 15 • Wed 17 • Mon 22 • Wed 24 June
🕘 11am - 1pm
📍 205 King Street, Pukekohe

Know a rangatahi this would suit? Share this with them if anyone who might know someone 💛

📞 09 238 6233
📧 [email protected]
📲 DM on Facebook

Dive into our extensive resources on the topic that interests you. It's like a masterclass to be explored at your own pace.

05/06/2026

Are you or someone you know looking for a role in family law? 💼

Our friends at Blackwood Montagna Legal - part of our lawyer clinic here at Mai Lighthouse - are looking for someone to join their Family Team in Pukekohe.

To apply:
📞 09 283 8432
✉️[email protected]

And did you know - Mai Lighthouse offers FREE 15-minute lawyer appointments every Thursday 4–5pm? No referral needed ⚖️💛

📞 09 238 6233 | [email protected]

04/06/2026

Have you heard? New Zealand's Anti-Stalking legislation has just come into effect 💙

This is a really important step forward for the safety of wāhine and whānau across Aotearoa - and we want to make sure our community knows about it.

If you or someone you know is experiencing stalking or coercive control, please know you don't have to navigate this alone. We're here, and so is support.

📞 09 238 6233 | [email protected]

In an emergency, always call 111.

04/06/2026

Have you seen our donation page? 👀

With Matariki approaching - a time of giving back and lifting each other up - we'd love to invite you to support the mahi we do every day for whānau across Franklin and North Waikato.

Counselling, financial mentoring, social work, medical transport, legal clinics, parenting support - every koha goes straight to the people who need it 💛

✨ mailighthouse.org.nz/donate

Ngā mihi nui 🙏🏽

02/06/2026

What a series it’s been! Celebrity Treasure island has officially wrapped and while the incredible mana wahine, CWK Nix took home a much deserved win, Frank took home something just as valuable: the love and support of an entire community behind him.

To everyone who watched, shared and rallied behind - thank you. Your support for Frank is support for Mai Lighthouse, and for every whānau we serve.

What a ride. We couldn’t be prouder 💛

29/05/2026

📢 Kia ora te whānau - this one is for you.

Our board member Shay and the team at Kia Ora Ake have partnered with Acorn Neurodiversity to offer a FREE whānau workshop - right here in Pukekohe! 🙌

If you’re supporting a tamaiti who is neurodivergent, this evening is designed to give you real, practical tools to help them when they’re feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or dysregulated.

📅 Thursday 11 June
🕕 6:00pm – 7:00pm
📍 Tamaoho School, 36 Taikaranga Street, Pukekohe
🍽️ Light supper provided
✅ No registration needed - just come along!

Share this with any whānau who might find it helpful 💛

28/05/2026

🌿 Franklin Community Fuel Resilience Initiative - Weekly Update

💛 First - we just want to say: we see you.

The rising cost of everything right now is genuinely hard. Power bills, food, fuel, rent - it's a lot. And if you're doing everything you can just to keep your whānau warm this winter, please know you are not alone.

That's exactly what our community is here for.

This week - practical ways to keep your home warm and your power bill down:

🔥 Heat one room well rather than many rooms poorly. Close the doors, keep your whānau together in that space, and let your heater do its job properly.

💡 Run your heat pump at 18–20°C consistently - it's actually cheaper than cranking it high and turning it on and off.

🛏️ Pre-warm beds with an electric blanket then turn it off before sleep - warm bed, lower bill.

🌀 Wash on cold - up to 90% of washing machine energy goes into heating water. Modern detergents work perfectly in cold.

🔌 Turn appliances off at the wall - standby power can account for up to 10% of your power bill.

🚪 Block draughts with a rolled towel or door snake - cold air sneaking in makes your heater work twice as hard.

🪟 Close curtains before dark - keeps the warmth you've built up inside where it belongs.

☀️ Open curtains during the day - sunlight is free heat, make the most of it!

🛁 Keep showers short - a 4-minute shower uses a fraction of the energy of a 10-minute one across a whole family over winter.

If you're struggling with power bills or making ends meet this winter, our free financial mentoring service is here for you - no judgement, just practical support. 💚

📞 09 238 6233 | [email protected]

A community response coordinated by Mai Lighthouse alongside Te Whare Ruruhau o Meri, Franklin Attendance Service, and local schools.

25/05/2026

📚 We need your old magazines!

Our team is collecting magazines to use in a new programme - and we’d love your help.

Whether they’re gathering dust on your coffee table or piling up in the spare room, we’ll give them a great new life! 🌟

We’re after all sorts:
📰 Woman’s Day & general interest
🚗 Car, hunting & fishing
⚽ Sports magazines.. or anything else you’ve got!

Drop them into us at 205 King Street, Pukekohe or 5 George Street, Tuakau.

Ngā mihi nui for your generosity 💛

And if you’d like to support our mahi in other ways, every contribution - big or small - helps us continue showing up for whānau across our community. Donate here: https://mailighthouse.org.nz/donate/