For many whānau throughout Aotearoa New Zealand, finances are tight 365 days of the year. That removes the ability to make Christmas a special time for them or their children. Christmas From The Heart is about restoring Christmas by providing food support to whānau who are doing it tough; that includes essential food items and items to create a special Christmas meal. For those families with children, toys are also provided.
The Christmas From The Heart 2022 report contains statistics relating to the event – 1,758 food and gift boxes were given away feeding over 9,000 people – and the sobering results of a survey conducted amongst Christmas From The Heart recipients – 67% of those receiving Christmas support stated they were worse off financially than the same time the previous year.
The report concludes with commentary about the need to consider the wider implications surrounding food insecurity and the far-reaching issues faced by many in Aotearoa New Zealand today. “The challenge for support organisations is that food insecurity does not exist in isolation. Behind it are a plethora of issues … such as education, housing, employment, and even cultural biases or social policies are part of the complex mix that can lead to a person being trapped in poverty.”
We hope our Christmas From The Heart 2022 report will provide readers with a snapshot of what life is really like for many Kiwis.
