Auckland charity brings Christmas cheer to Auckland preschoolers

Caryn Wilkinson Reporter from Community News

Christmas has come early for preschoolers at seven childhood centres around Auckland.

The Kindness Collective Foundation is bringing Christmas cheer to 250 vulnerable children at these facilities run by the Taonga Education Centre:

Nga Taonga Aroha Early childhood centre in Otara, Aranga Early Childhood centre in Manurewa, Homai Nga Taonga ECC, Manurewa, Nga Taonga Manako ECC, Kelston, Eden Campus ECC, Mt Eden, Kakano Early Childhood Centre in Clendon and Potiki Early Childhood Centre in Clendon.

The Auckland charity has paid for Christmas parties, trees and decorations for each childcare and is buying Christmas presents for the youngsters.

But the giving doesn't stop there.

The charity is donating 80 food boxes and grocery vouchers to childcare families to tide them over during the expensive festive season.

"The Kindness Collective Foundation heard about the hard work we do at our centre to keep our whanau going and they reached out to me to offer their help," said Emma-Jane Jones, centre supervisor of Nga Taonga Aroha Early childhood centre in Otara.

Jones said 2020 had been a tough year financially and she was "blown away" by such a giving gesture.

"At my centre in Otara, I don't have any parents that pay fees so we're always a little bit strapped for cash... and for them to jump on board has been phenomenal."

Jones said she believed in giving preschoolers wrap- around care which extended to their whanau.

"We make sure the children always have clothing, rain jackets and food and that's often coming out of our teachers' pockets."

Jones said that if the charity had not stepped in, she would have had to pay for her centre's Christmas party, which kicks off on Thursday.

"I have four children of my own and my children have learned from a young age that they're privileged in some ways and quite often my children get less so I can support the children in my care," she said.