Zoe Hunter: My New Year's resolution is to donate more to charity

Zoe Hunter: My New Year's resolution is to donate to charity more. Photo / Getty Images

OPINION:

My New Year's resolution is to donate to charity more.

It's been one heck of a year. Covid-19 lockdown really shook things up, some people lost their jobs, took pay cuts while others are still struggling to pay rent and mortgages or even buy food.

And I can only count on one finger the times I've donated to a charity this year.

For the past few months, I've read stories about the generosity of the community towards our Christmas Appeals in Tauranga and Rotorua, which both raised a record amount this year.

Bay of Plenty Times Christmas Appeal, run in partnership with Gilmours Wholesale Food and Beverage Tauriko, raised more than $190,000 surpassing last year's record of $153,961.40 in cash and food donations.

While the final tally is yet to be counted, the Rotorua Daily Post Christmas Appeal for the Salvation Army Foodbank has already received a record $57,365.80 in cash and food.

These donations will help hundreds of families.

I feel guilty that I have contributed to none of that.

I don't drop coins into the donation boxes at the supermarket checkouts or say yes to adding an extra dollar or two onto my grocery bill for charity.

I did attend a Breast Cancer fundraiser earlier this year after lockdown with my mum. We spent about $20 each on our entry ticket and spent $20 each on a silent auction.

But that's about it all year.

It's time for that to change. So I vow to you all right here, in writing, that I plan to donate more to charity this year.

I'm going to say yes to spending that extra dollar on my grocery bill, I'm going to send an anonymous donation to the local foodbank and volunteer my time to at least one deserving charity.

Why not? It's no skin off my nose.

After all, a little can often go a long way.