In order to meet isolation requirements, 28 rooms across the Auckland and Wellington houses were converted into self-contained units, to enable long stay families to remain in their ‘home-away-from-home’ during lockdown.

With the communal kitchens closed, nib bolstered its existing RMHC New Zealand national partnership with a further investment of $20,000 to enable each room to be kitted out with a fridge, kettle, toaster and microwave to ensure families could function safely in their bubbles.

A further 12 rooms were also supplied with kettles for short stay families, so social distancing could be maintained.

nib foundation executive officer Amy Tribe said nib was proud to continue supporting an organisation that helps so many Kiwi families, especially during a time of such difficulty.

“For parents and caregivers, looking after a child in hospital is an incredibly difficult experience at the best of times – let alone during a pandemic. The lives of all family members are often turned upside down and their minds are filled with worries about finances, finding a place to stay nearby and making sure the simple day-to-day tasks get completed,” she said.

“RMHC New Zealand provide that invaluable support, mitigating some of these concerns so families can concentrate on each other. We admire the incredible work that the team at RMHC New Zealand do and are proud to have been able to assist them in meeting some of the challenges brought on by Covid-19.”