Sallies inspire Christmas cheer
For some parents the festive season is not the joy and outpouring of gifts and food it is for others.
For those unable to afford to provide the gifts and feast associated with the celebration, the approaching season can be a stressful and anxious time.
The Salvation Army recognises the difficulties this causes and is calling on businesses and others to help by ‘‘adopting’’ a family and providing them with a meal and gifts come December 25.
The Adopt A Family For Christmas programme has run on a small scale in past years.
But this year the ‘‘Sallies’’ have decided to extend it further and assist at least 100 families.
Donors are sent names, genders and ages of their adopted family and sponsors are asked to provide gifts and food for a Christmas meal to the Sallies for delivery to the family.
The recipients and donor never meet and recipients remain anonymous.
The spend amount is up to the donors who can be another family, an individual or a group of workmates.
There are also other ways to help those in need.
A number of Northland primary schools are among 180 nationwide who are collecting canned foods to help the Salvation Army fill Christmas food parcels.
They include Hurupaki, Manaia View, Otaika Valley, Raurimu Avenue and Whangarei Heads schools.
All cans collected will be matched by Watties as part of the annual Cans for Good appeal which aims for 25,000 cans to help stock the much needed parcels.
The Salvation Army’s national secretary for social services Pam Waugh says the charity organisation provided more than 55,000 food parcels to help Kiwis in need get back on their feet in 2015.
This year the number of people needing help continues to grow, she says.
‘‘Christmas is an extremely difficult time for many families, so food donations from Wattie’s Can’s for Good will make a real difference to New Zealanders when they need it the most’’, Waugh says.
Alternatively people can support their local community through the Salvation Army by donating cans of food via their local Countdown supermarket food donation bin.
Visit the online www.foodbank.org.nz
Visit www.salliesgiftsofhope.org foodbank