Adopt and help a family in need this Christmas

Tuesday, 5 December 2017

Lyn Beets and Rosina Ellen try to encourage and thank everyone who helps make someone else's Christmas what it's truly meant to be.

Last year a woman collected her Adopt-a-Family parcel from the Hāwera Salvation Army in tears.

'She said 'I didn't want to have to do this',' Rosina Ellen, a volunteer, said.

Last year the Hāwera Salvation Army had 52 families adopted.

'She had kids, she'd lost her job and been kicked out of home - but promised she'd be back this year on the other side.'

Every year the Hāwera Salvation Army organises their Christmas Adopt-a-Family scheme and every year they have families in need, and families who help.

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Ellen said she wasn't sure if the woman had come back this year, but she said people who received the parcels often tried to come back and 'pay it forward' as such.

'We are so thankful for the community who are helping make someone else's Christmas what it's truly meant to be,' Lyn Beets, the corps officer, said.

The scheme involves the nomination and self-nomination of families who are in need and may need help with food and gifts for themselves, and children, over the Christmas period.

'The idea is for the community to come in and adopt a family to provide a food hamper for Christmas and gifts if possible,' Beets said.

The corps currently have around 25 families yet to be adopted. Last year 52 families were adopted.

Ellen has been involved in the adoption process for a few years.

'I love helping people in need,' she said.

'And there's so many sad families that need help.'

The parcels go to all sorts of families with mums, dads, children, and grandparents, and there's been an increase in elderly people.

Ellen said the people who adopt the families are often very kind and generous.

'It's amazing what some people put in.'

The food hampers are often made up of Christmas goods like mince pies and ham. The gifts always range, and if Ellen thinks there's a gap in the toys, she'll try to fill it.

'I'll add stuffed toys to hampers if I can.'

The women acknowledged there are a lot of generous people out there.

'Hāwera is a very giving community,' Ellen said.

The nominations and adoptions close on December 15, and hampers and parcels have to be in the following week.

If you are interested in adopting a family, get in contact with the Hāwera Salvation Army.