Samaritans Aotearoa New Zealand
Confidential, non‑judgemental & non‑religious support
If you are experiencing loneliness, depression, despair, distress or suicidal feelings, call 0800 72 66 66 now.
Samaritans operates a 24/7 crisis help line. Our phones are operated by volunteers from the community for the community. We receive no direct government funding.
“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you”
Maya Angelou
We Listen
Who Calls Samaritans?
The Samaritans is a service which, at some particular moment in our lives, any one of us might be glad to turn to.
All sorts of people call Samaritans to talk with an empathetic listener.
Volunteers
Are you a good listener? Do your friends tell you about their problems? Do you find at parties that people start telling you about their lives? If so, you could have what it takes to be a Samaritan.
The volunteers who make up Samaritans come from all walks of life. They are ordinary people – taxi drivers, lawyers, accountants, students, teachers, parents, people out of work, and they can be aged from 20 years upwards. Your neighbour might be one, or the check-out person at the supermarket.
But they are also special people. They know how to listen and empathise. They are warm and patient, and have lots of common sense.
Donate Today
Help Samaritans to be there for those struggling to cope.
Within our society there are people who are lonely, frail, socially isolated, vulnerable, and misunderstood; we provide a safe place for them to make genuine connections and to be themselves without judgement or condemnation. You can help us be there for anyone, no matter what their reason is for calling. Provide a donation or a monthly gift to help cover what it costs us to pick up the phone and answer a call for help.
Phone calls
$25 will help us answer several calls for help. How many phone calls can you gift someone in need?
Volunteer training
$50 a month helps us recruit and train one helpline volunteer, ensuring more calls for help are answered.
Essentials
$100 a year will go towards keeping the Samaritans’ phone lines open throughout the year, ensuring there is always
someone to listen when a person who’s struggling finds the courage to call.
Samaritans Aotearoa New Zealand Patron
Her Excellency The Rt Hon Dame Cindy Kiro, GNZM, QSO, Governor-General of New Zealand
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Get In Touch
To find out more about volunteering, donating or anything else, please use our Contact Us form.