As the year nears closer to an end I thought it would be helpful for a run down on what has been............ 31 weeks ago I decided to start up a Facebook page in hope that Id get a little help to gift one hot meal a week and some warm clothing as it was winter. Thinking that Id rally up a little interest from family, friends and maybe a few extras was about as far as my brain thought it would go....HOW WRONG WAS I. The one hot meal has turned into one permanent lunch provided by Mandy and her team at Under the Red Verandah, cafe food, takeaway items, fresh fruit and veg from Freshmax in Hornby, bread each fortnight from Brumbys in Hornby an enormous amount of food donated and cooked by a HUGE team of volunteers each Sunday. The one person has turned into 13 plus thousand and a trust. Gifting of warm clothing has turned into mountains of clothing, footwear,bedding, household items, whiteware, furniture, plants tents, takeaway food items, toiletries, presents, vouchers etc gifted. Winter clothing sorted and stored for next winter with us now gifting summer clothing, caps & jandals. Weve assisted many locals into housing and furnished their houses, helped find jobs, support them into working. Our locals have volunteered their time to assist SmileDial at this years fire works display, our garage sale, sorting clothing at the school, tidy my garage up, gardening and even help move a school. We have helped connect loved ones, locals with doctors, pets with vet care and even missing people with their family. We have attended graduations, winz appointments, doctor appointments, visited houses once theyre housed, council meetings, health drop ins. We have looked after pets and locals in our own homes when needed, taken washing home, played taxi driver. We have held a midwinter Christmas party with a team of My Fathers Barbers tending to barber needs, provided clothing and served up salmon from Aoraki Smokehouse Salmon, crayfish, lamb off a spit salads, loads of Christmas treats for 50+. We all played softball with OT CREW, played giant chess thanks to New Brighton Project and listened to the Angelic voice of Oceana Olsen. We also held a monster garage sale, sausage sizzle, celebrated birthdays and most recently Christmas with our locals. Over the past 31 weeks that Ive been doing this Ive been overwhelmed by the generosity of you all out there with items and money coming from around the world. The number of volunteers that have helped and offered to help in the hundreds, messages and comments of support in the thousands. It has turned from one cleaner seeing a need... to a community supporting a community. Im happy to say this page has created inspiration for others to help in their own community, people to return to Christchurch and of course brought much needed attention to our Homeless. Christchurch has been through so much since the earth quakes but now is ready to rise again. All of us here want to continue supporting those left behind in the streets as we build up our beautiful city. We will help where possible to guide and support locals into housing & employment. We still believe that the need for a hub to help our locals is necessary and will continue to push for it. 2014 has just been 31 weeks operational so imagine what we can achieve in a full year! Thank you all so SO VERY much for your support to help us help the Homeless here in Christchurch, remember without your donations we would have NOTHING to gift. It only takes one pebble to create a ripple surely this page is proof!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU I look forward to your support in 2015 xxxx Amy
Posted on: Mon, 29 Dec 2014 12:25:01 +0000