Vouchers for hairdressers, family passes for the zoo, and even barbecues and televisions are some of the gifts the Pacific-focused health provider Fono is giving to struggling families.
Staff members at The Fono are wrapping a bunk bed for families in need. Photo: Lui Chen
The organisation was putting together packages for 120 struggling Auckland families. The gift packs, worth up to $2000 per family, are aimed at making a real difference.
The hall of Tokaikolo Church in Māngere Bridge was filled with Christmas hampers and gift boxes. Staff members of the Fono are now busy wrapping and labelling these.
Marketing communications manager Frank Koloi said a lot of effort went into identifying those most in need.
He said staff dug into their database and identified 120 families - many of them with a single parent, multiple children and trauma in the past.
"We asked them directly what would make a difference for you and your family this Christmas and those requests kept coming," he said.
Every family will get a hamper and a meat pack, as well as what they asked for.
"One of the mothers said that she's never had her hair done professionally, and so she asked for a voucher at a hairdresser, and she did. She got a voucher from the hairdresser. One family asked for a family pass to the zoo, and said that they have never been out together as a family."
Koloi said they ensured there were taxi vouchers for those who wanted to visit somewhere like the zoo and then there were the bigger items.
Janeth Dela Rama and Tima Hunt are involved in identifying which families are most in need. Photo: Liu Chen
"There are TVs There are bunk beds. There are barbecues. There are fridges. There're vacuum cleaners. There are bikes, scooters, anything that they need we'll do our best to to work within each family's budget to get those items for them."
Janeth Dela Rama, team leader for the organisation's Family Start programme, said most families they're helping are isolated and vulnerable.
"What we've found recently is that it's not just financial struggle that they are feeling at the moment, especially lock down but more in mental health. We are making sure that we'll bring some Christmas joy to these families, especially to their children."
Tima Hunt, team leader for the Fono's Family Care Services, put forward a family of a single mum with nine children.
Frank Koloi, marketing communications manager at The Fono. Photo: Supplied / Frank Koloi
"After having a conversation with Mom, she was a bit teary-eyed and she was really happy ... she was just thanking us for thinking of her and the children during this time and that's just something that brings joy to us."
Koloi said the gifts were possible because of community support, especially from the Milford Foundation.
The charitable trust donated $80,000 to help with the Fono's food parcels during the Delta outbreak and recently, another $167,000 for the Christmas initiative.
The Fono has delivered more than 40,000 food parcels since the Delta outbreak and delivered more than 19,000 Covid-19 vaccines.
