Oranga Tamariki gather goodies for needy families this Christmas

Oranga Tamariki site manager Tanya Hemara with some of the Christmas shoe boxes for families. Photo/Shauni James

Not all families have the "tinsel, ham and turkey" at Christmas, which is why Oranga Tamariki is collecting goodies to donate to the Rotorua Daily Post Christmas Appeal.

This year's Christmas Appeal, run with the Rotorua Weekender and The Hits 97.5, is collecting non-perishable food and cash donations for the Salvation Army foodbank.

Site manager Tanya Hemara says the team has been putting together boxes of non-perishable items.

She says this sort of appeal is something Oranga Tamariki takes part in every year, though it is not always for the Salvation Army.

Oranga Tamariki works with many needy families who may not meet the criteria for some services, she says.

Photo/File

"So sometimes we may utilise the opportunity to collect non-perishable items and take these items to some of the families we have been working with."

The team is also filling Christmas shoe boxes with gifts and will be giving some of these to the Salvation Army, as well as families they work with that struggle over the holiday period.

Tanya says Oranga Tamariki has a reasonably good relationship with the Salvation Army and sometimes refer their own clients to them.

She says the Salvation Army has many different services for the community, including the foodbank, offering items like clothing or furniture and counselling.

"They are a not-for-profit organisation that relies heavily on contributions and support from the community, and we see a lot of our own clients utilising these services."

She thinks Christmas, being the festive season and a time to give, often brings out the best in people.

"I think it's just acknowledging that not all families have the tinsel, ham and turkey, and wake up to presents."