When young mum Amber was unable to breastfeed her new baby, the cost of buying baby formula was too much for her already tight budget.  That’s when she turned to the Mission for help to feed her young family.  

For Amber, caring for her young family on her own is a full-time job right now.  She’s looking forward to going back to paid work, so she can support herself and her whānau, but until then, it’s a struggle to make ends meet. 

Having her first baby was an overwhelming time for Amber, especially as a young mother. 

“I just remember lots of different emotions. What’s this going to do to my life? My dad had wanted me to go on to uni and I wanted to get into work.” 

“I always loved kids growing up, and wanted to be a mum, but not that early. But I couldn’t imagine someone else raising my baby.”  

Luckily her dad, who had raised Amber with her step-mum, was very supportive.  

Amber was determined not to give up her education and enrolled at a school for teenage parents.  Over the next three years, she completed her high school qualifications while caring for her little daughter.  “School is important, and I didn’t want my baby to be the reason I didn’t have that qualification.” 

Amber now has three young children, and she’s been left with the full responsibility of raising them on her own.  She’s also raising her teenage cousin, even though Amber is just a few years older herself.  “It’s what you do for family.  I was the most stable person in her life, and I was willing to put that effort in so she could have a good life.” 

Although she had breastfed her first two children, the stress of the situation affected her milk supply, and she needed to buy baby formula to feed her youngest baby. The additional cost of formula put pressure on her already tight budget. 

That’s when she first reached out to the Mission for help. 

“I did worry that I’d get judged, but I got over that feeling because my kids needed food. That’s what really made me ask for help.” 

“Getting the food boxes makes a big difference. It puts a smile on my face to see the kids eating.” 

Amber has learnt how to stretch a dollar and she plans her spending carefully. “I try really hard to budget. I go to those reduced to clear places. It’s got to be budget food, like mince and spaghetti. I’m lucky my kids love spaghetti! So that’s an easy meal.” 

“If the kids need blankets or winter sheets or a heater, I use AfterPay. But some things have to wait. Like my daughter’s needing new shoes, I just can’t afford them right now.” 

It’s a lot to be constantly thinking about, “how to make food stretch, how to make it last longer.”  

When he can, her dad helps her out.  

“I’m so lucky to have my dad. He would honestly do the most. If I’m struggling, my dad will give me 20 bucks. But he’s struggling with his own – he has worked his whole life and still doesn’t really have a lot.” 

But from time to time, in those weeks when she has unexpected expenses like a high power bill, even her careful budgeting is not enough: “Our cupboard can look so empty. Some nights I don’t eat. I’ll make sure the kids have eaten heaps and then I save some for tomorrow night.” 

That’s when Amber turns to the Mission for support.   

A box of food from the Mission helps to take the pressure off Amber for a few days when times are hard: “We can get by [on a food parcel] for about three or four days.  You’ve got to put everything to use – so the flour, the pasta, you use it all. You get a lot of cereal, which is cool. And meat, which is also great.  

“It’s a lot of from scratch items, and that’s totally fine. I am terrible at baking, but I like cooking yummy dinners that my kids love.” 

Amber is acutely aware of being judged for being a solo mum: “It can be tough sometimes. I’ve had the “why did you have so many kids?” All three of them were not planned. I’ve been through a lot. It definitely made me grow up faster and I lost a few of my young years. But I don’t think I’d ever change that.” 

“My kids make my heart bigger. I want to be strong and a rock for them. I’m excited to raise them up and help them navigate life.” 

Amber is looking forward to the next phase of her life. Once her baby is old enough, she’s planning on getting back into the paid workforce. “I want to get a job. I have big ambitions. In five years, I’d like to be starting my own business.”  

“I want to be successful to then be able to give my kids success as well. I want to be financially stable and have my own house. So I’ve got to put in the hard yards to get there and start working pretty soon.”  

In the meantime, Amber knows that her family can count on the Mission for support in their times of need. 

*Name changed to protect privacy