Project Partners Programme:
Keep our regional support services alive
We’re calling on passionate Project Partners to help fund our nationwide network of nine dedicated Diabetes Community Coordinators (DCC) | Kaiāwhina Mate Huka, who are the backbone of community diabetes support in New Zealand.
Facing funding cuts and rising costs, we urgently need your support to ensure these roles remain intact and continue providing education, connection, and care to thousands of individuals and their whānau.
Our goal
We need $100,000 to close the funding gap and secure this vital network of nine Diabetes Community Coordinators. Your contribution will be directly tagged to this project, ensuring every dollar you give goes straight to supporting people in need.
The problem: Diabetes epidemic looming
Type 2 diabetes is a growing crisis in New Zealand, which robs people of years they could live and limits the quality of their lives.
Currently costing the nation over $2 billion annually, this figure is set to escalate significantly. Worse still, many people affected by diabetes come from communities that face barriers to accessing healthcare. Advice and treatment often don’t reach those who need it most, leaving individuals in vulnerable positions.
Our Diabetes Community Coordinator network is the ONLY national service bridging the gap between social and economic barriers and the healthcare system.
Your support can change lives
By partnering with us, you’ll enable this vital network to continue delivering:
• Free, flexible, and mobile community support that adapts to local needs across communities and connects people to other health services in their area.
• In-depth, personalised help for the most vulnerable people without GPs, those on waiting lists, or those who struggle to afford transport or appointments.
• Connection and education through faceto- face management courses, teaching food management, exercise, and the importance of overall wellness.
In 2024 alone, our Diabetes Community Coordinators supported 7,480 individuals and whānau, dedicating over 4,700 hours of direct engagement. This impact is only possible with sustained funding.
The power of connection
Meet Matire Ropiha-Stewart, who worked as our first Diabetes Community Coordinator in Taranaki.
Matire has firsthand experience of the lifechanging impact of this service:
“Some people live with poverty and food insecurity, and they’re struggling to put enough food on the table for their kids, let alone manage a complex health condition. I worked with one woman who was homeless, and I helped her find emergency housing so she could start managing her diabetes.”
She shares how emotional and spiritual wellness is just as important as medical treatment:
“I talk to people about happiness and viewing diabetes as a journey to wellness—not just a medical journey. With time and support, people get to a place where they can manage diabetes themselves because they know how to put their wellbeing at the heart of their lives. That makes me really happy!”
Be part of the solution
By becoming a Community Partner you’ll play a vital role in improving health outcomes for thousands of New Zealanders. Together, we can bridge the gap between barriers and wellness, creating healthier, happier communities.
Help us reach our financial target of $100,000 to secure this vital network.