Teen helps struggling families
Maddi Anderson used to struggle to leave home after a crippling form of depression robbed her of the will to go outside.
But the 18-year-old has found bringing joy to others helps her cope and now she dedicates her spare time to delivering care packages to those in need.
Anderson, from Marlborough, has been busy creating customised packs for people suffering cancer, the loss of a relative, or hard times.
She, her mother Gina Anderson and friend Louise Hide have been distributing up to 15 packages a week for 18 months.
Other items include tooth paste, sanitary products, body wash and razors.
Anderson has also started up a ‘‘Random Acts of Kindness’’ initiative in the region.
She and her mother have been donated coffee vouchers, massage vouchers and restaurant vouchers which they put in envelopes and place on windscreens around Marlborough as another way to bring a smile to people’s faces.
‘‘We just put them in an envelope with a little bit about who we are and what we do and drop them off around town, give them to people, put them on their window shields and things like that,’’ she said.
Anderson says she loves bringing cheer to other people.
Before she got involved with care packages, she didn’t like to leave the house often.
‘‘The only time I would sort of go out was when we would go on a family outing.’’
Help, in the form of donations, came from around the country, Anderson said.
‘‘Quite often we’ll go out and come home and there will be lots of stuff on our doorstep.’’
Anderson recently received a Kiwibank Local Hero Award.