Te Whare Ruruhau o Meri implies a place of sanctuary, a house of shelter, and a source of comfort for those in need of a safe place.
Within the sanctuary a person, or a whānau, will find hope, compassion and manaakitanga (hospitality). As a kaupapa Māori social service provider, the organisation has developed an indigenous social services practice model ‘te kawa o te marae’ to embed tikanga Māori (Māori culture) as a solution for whānau to establish pathways to wholeness and wellbeing.
Te Whare Ruruhau O Meri Trust services include preventing violence, building safety, acknowledging responsibility, connecting whānau, pastoral care, strengthening whānau and collaborative action