Salvation Army appeals for help filling Santa's sack

Kmart's Sue Smith and the Salvation Army's Shane Chisholm want to make sure no children are left out. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Kiwi families searching for help this Christmas may be left with empty stockings for their kids if Kmart's Wishing Tree appeal falls short.

The appeal, run with the Salvation Army, has so far received 6166 gifts - some 12 per cent of its total target of 50,000, just two weeks out from Christmas.

Kmart NZ managing director Sue Smith said the idea was to ensure that every child in every family that came to the Salvation Army for help would wake up to a gift on Christmas morning.

"We don't want the kids to be disappointed," she said. "It's our way of giving back to the community and putting smiles on the faces of children who'd otherwise go without."

She said behind the scenes a number of volunteers were working hard, wrapping gifts and putting together care packages to be delivered to each family in time for Christmas morning.

Salvation Army public relations director Shane Chisholm expected 17,000 families would approach the organisation this Christmas in need of food and gifts for their children.

Mr Chisholm said the appeal would help the children feel included. "It's really important that these young folk get included and wake up to something special under the tree like every Kiwi kid."

He said there was a particular shortage in gifts for those aged 13 to 16.

The Salvation Army's secretary for social services, Major Pam Waugh, said the appeal helped ease the pressure for families.

"Many families we work with have complicated debt issues that leave them little for Christmas gifts and food," she said.

"This is a very stressful time, with additional costs while children are on school holidays and knowing that back-to-school expenses are on the near horizon."

Without help she said families could go into debt over the Christmas season which could prove problematic in the new year.

How to help:

• Complete a tag with the gender and age group the gift would suit and attach it to the gift
• Place an unwrapped gift under any Wishing Tree in a Kmart store
• Gifts do not need to be purchased from Kmart, but must be new or handcrafted and unwrapped
• Online contributions can also be made at www.kmart.co.nz/wishingtree
• The appeal is open until Christmas Eve.