This cafe is run by not-for-profit community organisation 'Lifewise' who predominantly cater for…read morethe homeless; to ensure low-cost decent wholesome (cooked) meals for $4. They welcome passers-by (foot traffic) and the local community to visit the cafe for affordable, healthy cuisine. There is also counter food available: quiche, salads, bagels, sandwiches and sweet fare. If the cafe is crowded at lunchtime, you can always pop out to the courtyard at the back for some sunshine, surrounded by sustainable vegetable, herb and flowers (potted) gardens. There is artwork on surrounding walls that is changed monthly. Apparently the space is also used for yoga classes and soon performance art! Great welcoming, non-judgemental cafe that supports the local community.

Love that this business is about helping their community. They come alongside their homeless…read morepopulation and remind them that they are not marginalized and integrate them with the rest of the community with this cafe. $4 meals unless you get a fancier sandwich, pastry, salad. Really lovely place.

Rainbow Youth has been advocating for young gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer…read moreyouth for decades - ensuring that those who wish to come out, are having trouble with coming out, or would just like to find some likeminded people have a place to go. Friday nights at Rainbow Youth are the best time - school is over for the week and people will pile in to have a good time and be themselves. I interviewed the kids of Rainbow Youth about the issues that were facing them once - I ended up coming away feeling good about how LGBT children are faring. While their stories weren't all sunshine and rainbows, it was easy to see that having spaces like Rainbow Youth around makes life all that more bearable, while helping to create stronger, happier queer kids.

From the owner: LGBTIQ Queer & Gender Diverse Young People…read moreSupport Peer-support Groups Referral

Five stars? The Peace Place really deserves much more. It is also a difficult subject to to…read morecategorize, but it deserves a mention to get their name out there. It is a place of sanctuary in the centre of the city, to pray, meditate, research or find like minded people. I attended there through the Auckland Spiritual Discussions Group, they use the space to meet on the 27th of each month, in the evenings, having different speakers give talks and/or lead practices. The peace place is utilized by several different groups of different religious views,but all supportive of the same values. Pax Christi, an international peace movement being one of them. The venue has a large range of interesting books, a library that you can borrow from, on many esoteric subjects and/or about the peace movements, advocates past and present, religious orders, etc. I have not been able to add the opening hours as it really does depend on several factors, however I can tell you that Monday's at 5:30pm they offer a space for meditation and occasionally lunchtimes too; and on Sat's they celebrate the Eurachrist, you don't have to be catholic to attend. Have a look at their website and/or contact them directly if you want to know more.

This is a great charity! My husband works in community services and forwarded an email to me about…read morethis charity late last year hosting a sale of new and pre-loved clothing in Mt Eden. He is such a sweetie, he handed me a wad of cash and said go for it (it was a treat after quite a stressful year). So I sure did!!! I had lots of girly fun, along with many other women going nuts trying on loads of clothing in a communal changeroom and seizing further bargains and discounts (like $1 shoes or handbags) being called out across the room for set periods of time (like 5 minutes!). It was great, and ALL the proceeds went to the charity, which relies heavily on fundraisers such as this to help support women getting back into the workforce. That day they raised $6000. They do not have a set place to visit, you would need to contact them through email or phone if you are interested in finding out more about them, know of a woman/are that woman that could really do with some help, or, if you have something you could donate then they have several charity drop off points that can be found on their website. The website will also let you know about upcoming fundraisers like I went along too.

Awesome people and support! I didn't feel nervous at all! The environment and vibes are super nice…read more:)

NZAF does not only operate as a testing centre for HIV and AIDS but also offers different services…read morethat include counseling about sexuality, sex and other things. The testing centre offers the fastest, which is a test that can test anyone for HIV and syphilis and their results will be available after 20 minutes. This service comes in handy when one just wants to know their status without having to wait for a week until they get their results. A good place to visit before one enters into a sexual relationship with someone. The staff are ultra friendly and everything is confidential!

Eden Creative Recycling is a wonderful asset to the Auckland Community, particularly early…read morechildhood teachers and artists. This is a trust organisation that collects unwanted materials from businesses that have excess or unwanted items and then offers this multitude of stuff back into the community for those that may need or want to work in a more ecological and sustainable way. It is a great resource to teachers on a budget, but also most importantly teaches children the value in recycling and enhancing creativity. I use to work in this field not so long ago, so I have dealt with this company personally. There were off cuts of fabric, cardboard cylinders, hard plastic tubes, plastic bottle caps, paper, boxes, light metal tube things - many items! As you will see by the note on their website, they are no longer located on Akiraho Street in Mount Eden, however if you call Yvonne on 0274 879 116 you can arrange a time to go see what is on offer and have a chat. Did I mention that this stuff is free?

Tumeke Cycle Space is a community-collaborative bicycle workshop…read more (http://www.tumekecyclespace.org.nz/) nestled at the end of Edinburgh St number 27, which is just off Karangahape Road. It can be a little sketchy here in the evenings for some people as it's a popular spot for working ladies however it's perfectly fine putting all things aside. 'Tumeke Cycle Space is a non-profit, community-run, DIWO (do it with others) bicycle workshop in Auckland. It's a place where people can fix, build, and learn about bikes in a safe and inclusive environment. We provide tools, knowledge, and training, with a focus on teaching people how to fix their own bikes. In this way we aim to empower people, encourage skill sharing, and promote cycling, an affordable, social form of transport that encourages a healthy lifestyle and environment' Just quickly, the workshop here is part of a larger collaborative space called Tangleball which is a maker/hacker space. 'We provide a place for creative people to collaborate on building their ideas and aim to nurture both technical and artistic ideas. The best way to get in contact with us is by coming to the space on a Tuesday evening, from 8pm' http://www.tangleball.org.nz/

Awesome helpful guys all willing to train teach fix and have fun. Tangle ball mixes it up a little…read more Oil that chain now!

The Floating Pavillion is an event space which literally floats just off the Hobson West Marina in…read morethe Viaduct - you walk along the waterfront towards Te Wero Island/the Wynyard Crossing and the pavillion is the floating grey building on the left. It's aimed at the business launch/wedding/ball crowd, so it's well kitted out to deal with a crowd of around 300. There's two levels so space for sit down dinners on the ground floor, as well as a large dance floor up top. For our inaugural UoA Architecture/Planning ball we hired out the Floating Pavillion, and can report the night went off without a hitch - food wasn't amazing, but the space was perfectly sized and well kitted out for the occasion.

This place right here it the place to have all your events, from your wedding to your engagement…read moreparty, a meeting or even a birthday party. Everything you need is there, all you have to do is call the business, arrange a tour then let them know exactly what you want. After that you can either send them pictures of your ideas or just leave it to them and their creativity. It is a great place for any events as it is located on the waterfront, guaranteeing great views and amazing pictures to upload on to instagram hash tagging aboutthatlife!