21/12/2018
City Mission to deliver special hampers on Christmas Eve thanks to generous donations
The Wellington City Mission is looking forward to delivering over 100 special ‘Christmas Day Hampers’ to families in
need this Christmas Eve – thanks to the amazing support they’ve received from across the region.
These special hampers will be delivered by Mission staff, volunteers, and local hero Billy Graham of Naenae Boxing
Academy. Each hamper includes items such as chicken donated by Tegel, sausages from The Mad Butcher, hams from Hellers,
chocolates from Whittaker’s, and sweet treats from Good Bitches Baking – plus other Christmas food items and children’s
gifts that have been donated by the community.
These hampers are The Mission’s final deliveries for December. In the lead-up to Christmas Day they have already
distributed Christmas food parcels to feed over 3,500 people, and gifts for over 2,100 children. Recipients of the food
and gifts are Mission clients, as well as those of 44 other community service agencies that The Mission collaborates
with including Red Cross Refugee Services, Kōkiri Marae Māori Women's Refuge, Challenge 2000 and Birthright.
The Mission has also supplied Christmas food and gifts for several local Christmas Day meals such as Aro Valley
Community Centre’s ‘Room at the Inn’ (catering for approximately 400 people) and ‘Everybody’s Christmas’ at Carerra Park
in Newtown.
This has only been possible because of the generous support The Mission has received throughout the Christmas season.
People, businesses, teams and groups have helped in many different ways, including filling over 500 ‘Christmas Star
Boxes’ with food and gifts, taking part in the iconic ‘Pack the Bus’ campaign, purchasing a record number of stars on
the Christmas Walk of Fame, volunteering their time, and donating financially.
Wellington City Missioner Murray Edridge says he has been blown away by the support The Mission has received this
festive season.
“To serve those in our communities who are doing it tough, we rely on the generosity of people, teams, groups and
businesses all across the Wellington region. We are very grateful to receive such wonderful support from so many.
Whether you have helped The Mission this Christmas by volunteering your time, donating goods-in-kind, or making a
financial contribution, you have enabled us to be there for those most in need right across our region, so thank you.”
ENDS