Over the last four weeks, this is what the Aunties have done with everyone’s donations of money and stuff…
We paid for a person to have counselling, and also spent $550 to fix a car that was vital for getting kids to school on the other side of the city from the safe place they are staying right now.
We paid the power and the phone bill for one of the women who is no longer in refuge and was in dire straits after having her benefit cut. Those kinds of pressures can sometimes lead to worse events so we felt it was right to step in and provide relief for her.
We also spent almost $1000 on food, and bought First Aid Kits for two refuges. And we’ve worked on building up our stockpile of kids’ clothes, sheets and towels, and socks; sourced some makeup for a teenager just arrived at refuge; and bought some hairbrushes.
When Aunty Jackie visits the refuge each week to chat with the women and find out what they need, she takes food with her to share. KFC is pretty popular. They’ve asked Aunty Jackie to let us all know how thankful they are that we’re out here doing this stuff, and that knowing people are thinking of them makes it all a bit a less lonely.
And October 1st was the annual “Pamper Day” for single mothers – they had make-up and nails done, and shoulder massages from volunteers. This is something Kris, who runs the refuge, organises once a year for women who have been in the refuge (and some who haven’t) while their kids are taken to Chipmunks for the day.
That’s a pretty nice list of “needs” and “wants” met for September by the Aunties. As always, we need to replenish funds so we can do more in October so PLEASE SHARE THIS with whanau and friends. Here’s the link for donations: https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/kapawhaea/donations
Nga mihi nui,
The Aunties.