City Mission thanks Greater Wellington for being stars to people in need this Christmas

The Wellington City Mission has once again been blown away by Greater Wellington’s response to their Christmas Star Appeal.

This year has seen a record number of people get involved in their Christmas Walk of Fame, with close to 270 stars displayed on the waterfront near Te Papa! Local businesses, groups, families and individuals have purchased the naming rights to these stars, and each one represents families being supported by The Mission this Christmas and beyond.

People and businesses throughout the community have also got behind the appeal by filling 420 ‘Christmas Star Boxes’ with food and gifts, taking part in the 25h anniversary of the iconic ‘Pack the Bus’, buying tickets to the Christmas raffle, and volunteering their time to sort and repack Christmas goods.

Generous private and business donors have also contributed financially online, through a special Christmas insert in the Dominion Post, and through The Mission’s mail appeals. This enables The Mission to continue offering their programmes and services both now and into the New Year.

Wellington City Mission Chief Executive Officer Michelle Branney said: “We have been absolutely amazed by the support for our Christmas Star Appeal this year. We’re so thankful to everyone who has got involved – whether you gave food or gift donations, donated financially, bought a star on the Walk of Fame, or helped in one of the many other ways. This generous support is certainly making an incredible difference for many during the Christmas season and will continue to do so well into the New Year.”

This year The Mission has given out close to 1,200 Christmas food parcels – that’s food for more than 3,000 people in total! This is on top of the 350 regular food parcels which they also distributed during November and December. Approximately 1,700 children from throughout Greater Wellington have also received new gifts this Christmas. Recipients of the food and gifts are Mission clients, as well as those of 38 other community service agencies The Mission collaborates with such as Red Cross Refugee Services, Newtown Union Health, Te Waka Whaiora, Lower Hutt Family Centre, Kahungunu Whanau Service and Birthright.

Today The Mission also delivered over 100 special Christmas Day Hampers to families on their programmes and to other local services that are supporting people throughout Christmas. These were delivered with the help of the Wellington Phoenix squad 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, special cakes organised by Cake Friday and other local bakers, and other Christmas goods from local businesses and individual donors – plus gifts for children.

In the lead-up to Christmas The Mission also held three sittings for a Hākari (feast) in their Newtown Dropin Centre – the first for volunteers, then two sittings for guests – catering for 100 people in total.

ENDS

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