‘Treasure Gifter’ repays kindness to help others
The kindness of strangers helped keep her family off the street and now a Palmerston North woman is looking to help others at a low ebb.
A charitable community group came through for Kylie Durrant and her family when they were in need. She’s been doing the same for others through her Facebook group, Treasure Gifters Manawatu¯ , for almost a year now.
Durrant said too many families were unable to feed and clothe their children, or were losing their homes, and she wanted to help by linking up the people looking to donate their unused treasures with the people who need them.
‘‘I know how it feels. That would’ve been us but for the people who helped us.’’
Durrant’s family lives comfortably in a modest Milson home, but four years ago it was a different story. Her partner Kevin Watson had just lost his job and they were struggling to make ends meet as a family of five, relying on the unemployment benefit.
It felt like the couple were doing financial triage every hour of the day – deciding between paying the bills, the rent or feeding and clothing their three children.
They couldn’t afford childcare, so Durrant had to stay home with the children, and as hard as he tried Watson couldn’t find work. The family came close to losing their home.
‘‘We were doing our best, but it wasn’t enough . . . We pretty much hit rock bottom.’’
It seemed hopeless until members of the Helping Hands community group donated toys, food and clothes for the family, and helped them navigate the social services bureaucracy until Watson got a job at a produce company.
It took three years for the family to get fully back on their feet, but as soon as they were Durrant started listing all clothes and toys her children grew out of on Facebook – free for families in need.
Friends and neighbours started asking her to list useful items they didn’t need anymore, and Treasure Gifters was born.
Over the past year, the group has grown to 520 members. Every other day, new car and trailer loads of goods are dropped off at Durrant’s place, where she and her family sort, repair and divvy them out.
Durrant said although goods were given out with no strings attached, many donations came from people the group had helped through a rough patch.