By Elizabeth Tsikanovski
Christmas is often a difficult time for families. While others are planning their summer getaways and stocking the pantry with treats, many Kiwi families are wondering how they’re going to make ends meet. Here are some ways we can all help our fellow Kiwis.
Covid-19 has shone a light on how close some families have been to the poverty line and an astonishing number of people have fallen through the cracks in our support system as unemployment and uncertainty have skyrocketed, particularly for those in Auckland with its fluctuating alert levels.
The Salvation Army are anticipating a 20% increase in demand for food and gifts this Christmas and the Auckland City Mission saw demand for food parcels increase by 175% this past August, compared with 2019.
For those who are in a position to help out this year and are looking for a good organisation to contribute to, here are some options:
Giving just a little
KidsCan do amazing work with our Kiwi kids, making sure they get shoes, raincoats and even hot lunches. This year, due to increasing demand, they’ve expanded their services to include early childhood centres as well as schools.
If you don’t have a lot of spare funds but want to help out, why not pick up some KidsCan Christmas Crackers which are only $2.50 each? Help a great cause and brighten up your Christmas festivities all at once!
Ongoing Giving
Although almost every charity encourages you to contribute on an ongoing basis, the One Percent Collective is all about making it easy and sustainable. You can choose from one of their 14 charity partners, including the Neonatal Trust (a cause very close to my heart) or split your contribution between several and set up the amount and frequency to suit you. Even better, these guys are sponsored by corporates, so every dollar you donate goes straight to your charity. Easy as.
Corporate giving
If you own a business or have a philanthropic-minded employer, why not gain some positive PR and donate to the City Mission at the same time through their Wellington Walk of Fame?
Be Santa for a day
If you want to do something super tangible, you could participate in the Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal. If you have kids yourself, you can even involve them in choosing something for another child which is often more meaningful than a cash donation.
Give time
If you have the capacity (keeping in mind this has been a draining year for everyone!) there are plenty of organisations who would love to have your help. And, if the Christmas break is no good for you, maybe take the opportunity to consider what sort of organisations could benefit from your skills and make that a goal for 2021?
As we wrap up for the year, remember the following, and take care of yourself, and others:
“Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you’ll find one at the end of your arm. As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands: one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.”