Walking the Talk
- Jul 3
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 5
YODC Nominated for Tamaki Makaurau Zero Waste Awards 2026
The Young Onset Dementia Collective is deeply honoured to be nominated in the Community Collaboration – Ha Ora, Hapori category at the Tamaki Makaurau Zero Waste Awards 2026.
The awards celebrate individuals, groups and organisations whose actions are helping create a more sustainable, connected and compassionate Auckland. The Community Collaboration category recognises those who are truly walking the talk - bringing people together to reduce waste while strengthening communities and creating lasting social good.
And for us, there is even more to celebrate.
We have been nominated alongside our dear friends at Fair Food, who will always hold a special place in the heart of our Collective. We walk a path that Fair Food has helped to shape with generosity and purpose.
One of the most revealing things about being welcomed into the Fair Food whanau has been witnessing a profoundly different way of thinking. In a world that often asks, "What's in it for us?", Fair Food has always asked, "What's in it for them?" That simple shift changes everything.
It is reflected in the nomination they so generously submitted:
"Volunteering at Fair Food challenges the idea that people with young onset dementia should be defined by their diagnosis; instead, it recognises the value, skills, and care they continue to bring to others. This core partnership has shown that everyone has a role to play in reducing waste and by making sure everyone is included, we achieve our goal of zero waste faster and more sustainably."
Last year alone, Fair Food rescued more than 829,000 kilograms of food, shared the equivalent of 2.1 million meals, and maintained an extraordinary 99.8% waste diversion rate. Yet behind those remarkable numbers lies something even more powerful: a commitment to people.
People first. Always.
Looking through the list of the 2026 nominees, it becomes clear that this spirit is a common thread running through so much good in our city. What can we do for them? How can we make the world a little better? How can we ensure nobody is left behind?
Those are the questions that drive meaningful change.
For YODC, being recognised alongside these organisations is both humbling and hopeful. It is a sign that people living with younger onset dementia are stepping out from behind locked doors, away from isolation and darkness, and into communities that see possibility, contribution and belonging.
We are incredibly grateful to the Fair Food whanau for believing in us, walking beside us, and showing us what it truly means to live the values of community collaboration.
To all nominees, congratulations. We are honoured to stand alongside you. There are no losers when communities come together in service of others.
And to our Fair Food whanau—thank you for continually reminding us that the best question we can ever ask is not "What's in it for us?" but "What's in it for them?"
Nominees for – Ha Ora, Hapori category at the Tamaki Makaurau Zero Waste Awards 2026. Community Collaboration Category
312 Day Committee
A2Z Property Maintenance
Ali Bostanabad from Compost Collective
Amanda Hookham-Kraft from EcoMatters
Anamata
Aniket Kothe from Naylor Love
Aotearoa Sustainability Grid
Auckland Golf
Auckland Zoo
Beautification Trust: Packaging Recyclers
Boot Gecko (Moko Kakariki) Public Sculpture Initiative
Chinese Conservation Education Trust
Chinese Conservation Education Trust Love Cycling Centre
Earth Action Trust
Echo
Fair Food
Junky Monkeys
Localised
Lyn-Marie Harris from Dizzie Pixie Designs
Meadowbank St Johns Residents Association
Mike Fogarty from The Compost Co.
New Zealand Food Network
Noughty Wasters and Resource Recovery Devonport
Raquel Sanga from ME Family Services
Sarah Lightbody from Tamaki WRAP
Sustainable Papakura
Tamaki Wrap
Thais Nafissi from the Glendowie College Sustainability Club
Tineswari Maruthamuthu from The Mindful Mender
To wahi
Young Onset Dementia Collective
Zohra Amiri from the Selwyn College Refugee Education Programme
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