Turning kitchens into kindness

Turning Kitchens into Kindness

How Metlifecare and All Heart NZ are redefining waste

What happens to a kitchen when it’s no longer needed? For most of us, the answer might be “straight to the skip.” But Metlifecare is proving there’s a much kinder way – one that benefits the environment and communities around New Zealand.

In 2023, Metlifecare teamed up with All Heart NZ, a charitable trust dedicated to redirecting and repurposing unwanted items. Together, they began a pilot across ten Auckland refurbishments to recover kitchens, bathrooms, carpets, curtains and more.

The process is surprisingly simple, but very effective. Contractors are trained to carefully dismantle kitchens and fittings when they are refurbishing retirement village units, so the kitchen hardware can be transported and reassembled. All Heart NZ then collects the items from the village, and donates it to charities, community groups, or resells in their community stores – which in turn creates local employment opportunities.

The results have been impressive. Since launching, 61 kitchens have been given a new lease of life, with more added every month. In just one year, 24 tonnes of materials were saved from landfill, and a remarkable $61,000 worth of community value was created.

“It’s about showing that nothing needs to go to waste,” says Metlifecare’s Sustainability Specialist Madelyn Pyne. “We’re proving that what once would have been thrown away can actually become someone else’s treasure – and that feels really good.”

All Heart NZ’s National Sales Manager Anntoinette Du Toit says working with Metlifecare shows how sustainable thinking creates shared value. “Together we’re diverting kitchens from landfill, supporting housing projects, and generating opportunities that reach far beyond waste reduction.”

And residents are noticing the difference too. Edgewater Village resident Carol Dewe shares her delight, “This programme is a fab idea, as I am all for avoiding waste. As a person who has worked with fabric, I am very aware of how much material ends up in landfill. I think it is a step in the right direction – every effort we make to repurpose materials is a positive.”

The initiative is also part of Metlifecare’s bigger goal: to increase reuse of refurbishment items from 22% to 30% this year. Each salvaged kitchen, bathroom and carpet roll is one more step toward a future where nothing is wasted, and everything has a purpose.

It’s proof that when we work together with the right partner, small actions can add up to something extraordinary - transforming waste into community value and kindness.