Our Christmas appeal
Every year at about this time, Claire Turner and Gabrielle Ralph start preparing to fill hundreds of families’ cupboards at a time when they need it most.
Working with local primary schools, the pair put together hundreds of $150 food hampers for families across Hutt Valley, Porirua and Tawa in the lead-up to Christmas.
But this year, their efforts – through their charity, Nourish – are needed more than ever.
This year the charity has demand for 1000 hampers, at a cost of $135,000. It is double last year’s output, a reflection of the increased pressure families are under as a result of Covid-19, the pair explain.
‘‘We go to every primary school in Porirua, Hutt Valley and Tawa and we say to them how many families do you have which a hamper would make a significant difference for,’’ Ralph says.
‘‘Some schools will say, ‘We have two of those families’. Some will say, ‘We have 50’.’’
Parents are starting to rely on the hampers, with some already asking the schools if they will be available this year.
Feedback from families on the impact of last year’s hamper lays bare the struggles some face to put food on the table.
One recipient describes themselves as the ‘‘working poor’’. Another is a single parent of four, living in a garage.
‘‘Amumcame to school to pick up the hampers, and she had four children, and she hadn’t eaten in two days, so she burst into tears when she received the hampers,’’ Turner says.
Turner’s initial idea, formed while winding down to sleep six years ago, was for a Christmas feast hamper, but she changed tack after talking to children at a school where she was volunteering. ‘‘One student said, ‘Mymumwould love that, but she doesn’t have a fridge’,’’ Turner says. ‘‘I thought, ‘Well, that’s not really going to work’.’’
She planned to put five hampers together using donated food, but ended up making 21 in the first year.
‘‘People donated and I thought this is something I can do,’’ Turner says. ‘‘And then Gabe came on board and it’s just
grown and grown. Every year it has doubled.’’
Now the pair will work with 100 volunteers over one weekend to fill the hampers. Schools then distribute the hampers, which contain fruit and vegetables, non-perishables and other essentials such as toilet paper.
They rely on cash donations to buy the food in bulk and have no overheads, so every dollar raised goes towards the hampers.
The charity relies on the support of friends, neighbours and their community.
‘‘Our friend designed the logo, another friend designed the website. Everyone helps out where they can. My hairdresser donated a hair package [for a raffle],’’ Turner says.
But it’s not only the pair’s hampers that make a difference. They also make lunches every
Want to support Nourish?
Each hamper is given to a family in need, chosen by a local school. To donate, visit nourishtrust.org/ christmas
Friday for either a Lower Hutt primary school or a primary school in Porirua.
They feed the entire school, around 145 lunches, so no child is singled out. The menu includes a ham and egg sandwich and a piece of home baking.
‘‘Friday used to be the lowest attendance day [at the Lower Hutt school],’’ Ralph says. ‘‘Now it is the most attended.’’
Covid-19 has also placed extra pressure on businesses, with the pair worried there might be fewer cash donations this year.
‘‘Our donations normally come from individuals and smaller businesses, and so we don’t know what position many will be in to donate,’’ Ralph says.
A lot of people are losing jobs because of Covid-19.
‘‘There are people who weren’t in the system before, but we know they are needing help, and they weren’t needing to ask before.’’
But Turner and Ralph are more than prepared to rise to the challenge, applying for funding wherever they can.
‘‘We would love to be able to offer this to every primary school in the Wellington region in the future,’’ Turner says.
‘‘A mum . . . hadn’t eaten in two days, so she burst into tears when she received the hampers.’’
Claire Turner
We are profiling organisations trying to make a difference in our community. For more stories in our Christmas series, see stuff.co. nz/xmasappeal.