The mum said she found out about Variety through the school she works at. She received an email about the sponsorship which she distributed throughout the school, but she also decided to take advantage of it and applied for her children to be sponsored.
She said it was a huge weight off her shoulders when she found out that both sons had been sponsored.
"I was absolutely stoked.
"It helps me out so much because now I'm not so tight. It means I have money to go towards their sports gears and other stuff," she said.
The mum said she also bought winter sheets and blankets through the sponsorship which she was incredibly grateful for. She was also happy because it meant she could give her parents, who usually help her out, a break.
"They wouldn't have not helped but I just wanted to not have to lean on them this year," she said.
She said it was "really important" a charity like Variety existed to help parents with back to school costs.
"There are so many other expenses life throw at you and school expenses get higher and higher each year so every little bit of help is awesome."
Lorraine Taylor, Variety's chief executive, said in total, 557 children were sponsored through the appeal.
She said there are still so many children who need a sponsor, including six
from Northland. To sponsor a child head to www.variety.org.nz
