Levin retail store manager Bobbie Arrowsmith (right) and Hope Hub trustee and former manager Tanya Moleta.
Levin retail store manager Bobbie Arrowsmith (right) and Hope Hub trustee and former manager Tanya Moleta.
Hato Hone St John’s retail store in Horowhenua is teaming up with Levin community group Hope Hub this Christmas to help make the festive season a little brighter for some local families.
Both organisations are asking people to donate gifts up to $20 in value, which are wrapped and labelledwith age and gender, that can be dropped off at the Hato Hone St John retail store on Oxford St in Levin or the Hope Hub on Kent St, in Levin (Tuesday to Friday).
Hato Hone St John retail store manager Bobbie Arrowsmith said the idea for the initiative came about after she realised the Shoebox Christmas initiative, which had run for several years, was not being done this year and “we needed to do something.
“I contacted Hope Kete and said we should look at doing something for families in need this Christmas. They were immediately on board,” she said.
“I always ask myself, ‘What have I done for my community lately?’ and this is such a great thing to do. These gifts will be given to families in need to help make their Christmas a little brighter.”
Arrowsmith says the two organisations were also encouraging the community to nominate a family who would benefit from the gifts.
“Successful families that have been nominated will be able to collect their gifts and also sweet treat bags from Hope Hub,” she says.
Hope Hub is the umbrella organisation for the Hope Kete Food Rescue Store (founded in 2020 post-Covid 19) which distributes food that would otherwise be wasted or thrown out to anyone within the district who is struggling financially.
Trustee and previous manager Tanya Moleta says last year Hope Hub had “no trouble” giving away 100 Christmas boxes that included meals.
Tanya Moleta. Photo / Nikki Carroll
Moleta said the group jumped at the opportunity to join forces with Hato Hone St John this year in an initiative aimed at spreading joy to those in the community that had been doing it hard this year.
“It’s been a hard year for everyone – there are plenty of working poor, too, who are doing it hard – and this initiative is a good opportunity to take a little bit of pressure off people and bring a little bit of joy,” she said.
