No one should face hardship alone this holiday season. 

To meet the growing need across the motu, Orange Sky is expanding beyond eight existing regions to launch new services in high-demand communities. By working alongside local service partners, we open the door to genuine connection, wraparound care, and long-term support.

Your gift keeps our machines spinning, and delivers practical relief. When loneliness hits hardest, you ensure friends and whānau navigating hardship have a safe, welcoming place to belong.

This holiday season, help us ensure no one faces hardship or isolation alone. One shift, one community, and one kōrero at a time.      

A place to wash, share kōrero, and belong

"After I leave here, I just give the bro a big hug and feel the aroha and the appreciation he has for me as who I am as a person."

Ed is the welcoming face of the Orange Sky mobile laundry service in Whakatāne, through the Waiariki Whānau Mentoring Service partnership. For him, the mahi is deeply personal. Ed shares: "I was kind of in their shoes at one point in my life. I know what they're going through."

Waiariki Whānau Mentoring provides dedicated whānau-centred support, mentoring, and advocacy to help local families thrive. This pairs seamlessly with Orange Sky’s mobile service. While Orange Sky tūao (volunteers) provide free laundry, warm showers, and a safe space for kōrero, Waiariki’s mentors connect directly with friends and whānau on shift to deliver long-term support, guidance, and wraparound care in a comfortable, familiar environment.  

Whether friends and whānau are sleeping rough, living in vehicles, or struggling to afford a laundromat, clean clothes and a safe space to connect make a world of difference. As Ed shares, "The most significant impact Orange Sky's having on this community is just the fact people can walk around with their head held high, with clean clothes and the place to come and talk as well. It’s a good place to talk all day."  

For nearly a year, Toko has been living in his van, and has been a regular at the Orange Sky and Waiariki shift since it launched.

"This is helping me in so many ways... to save money so I can have more money for my gas or food, brother... instead of worrying about paying for washing and drying."
- Toko, friend of Orange Sky Aotearoa

While free laundry eases immediate financial strain, the true transformation comes from kōrero on shift. Kōrero with Ed provides a safe, trusted space for Toko to open up about life's heavy challenges, step out of his own head, and gain a fresh perspective to navigate problems constructively.   

"When you have a kōrero with the bro, for myself, you know, I might feel like I'm down. And then after I leave here, bro, I feel like on top of the world."

- Toko, friend of Orange Sky Aotearoa

By working alongside trusted local partners like Waiariki Whānau Mentoring, a simple load of laundry opens the door to genuine connection, wraparound care, and long-term support. Together, these small, consistent acts of connection build communities that are more inclusive, resilient, and equipped to ensure no one faces hardship alone.   

Ngā mihi nui, thank you for all your support

This Holiday Season, we want to express our heartfelt thank you for helping to build a caring community for those doing it tough. Your support truly makes an impact, and we couldn’t do it without you.