A home to help the healing

“It’s amazing and I feel really blessed to have this house,” says Jean as she cuddles her eight-year old son, one of five who live at home.

“The kids absolutely love it and we all still feel overwhelmed to be living here.”

With her cancer now in remission, Jean is feeling stronger and looking forward positively on life.

She volunteers for food rescue charity Love Soup twice a week, sorting and giving out rescued food boxes.

Jean with her son and mokopuna

“It’s been healing for me to help out there. I’ve been able to give back even with my illness and be around good people who have no judgement.”

The busy Mum also works part-time at a local petrol station three days a week in customer service, adding “the cancer doesn’t take away my bills or my responsibilities.”

Jean and her whānau were in a smaller Kāinga Ora house but needed to move as the property was being redeveloped.

While being in a state house makes rent more affordable for her large family, she’s well aware how lucky she is and that she wouldn’t have been able to manage the cost of a private rental.

“In the past we’ve had to share bedrooms, but we now have some space, which is really important for my older teens and my youngest who has a disability.”

Reflecting on her life, Jean says having the stability of a home has helped her and her whānau get through some very tough times over the years.

“Being in a Kāinga Ora house has helped me and my family rebuild our lives when the going has been tough, and now having us all together in this beautiful spacious home is everything.”

“We are looking forward to Christmas together here, it will be a time for us to make happy family memories.”