Keeping the dignity in charity
đ We need your help to fill the Merry Vinnies toy shop! đ
Piloted in 2018, A Merry Vinnies Christmas came from our drive to give whÄnau seeking our services more choice over what they receive.
A Merry Vinnies Christmas offers a shopping style experience to families seeking help over the holiday period, giving them the dignity, ownership and choice to choose the presents they receive from us.
đ How:
The Vinnies Welfare & Service hub transforms into a festive toy shop over December. Unwrapped, donated gifts for children aged 0 â 16 years, are displayed for whÄnau to come and choose from.
Gifts are sorted and displayed in values of 1, 2 and 3 tokens. Each child receives 3 tokens worth of gifts â so a parent can decide if they want 1 big present, or maybe 3 smaller gifts to fill up a stocking.
A wrapping station is available so whÄnau can enjoy wrapping each gift from a variety of paper, ribbons and stickers â further fostering the feeling that each gift is coming from them and not a charity.
In 2018, 81 individuals and families chose gifts for 256 children from the Merry Vinnies toy shop.
đ We need your support!
We need supporters like you and your team to collect gifts for the Merry Vinnies toy shop.
Gift criteria:
â˘Appropriate 0-16 years old
â˘Unwrapped
â˘New/ near new condition
â˘Weâre always short on gifts for teenage boys (12 â 16 years)
â˘Drop-off by 28 November
đThe old saying goes âChristmas is the time for givingâ. Letâs go a step further and make sure this âgivingâ puts the dignity and mana of our wider community whÄnau first.
Contact: marketing@vinnieswgtn.org.nz
Supporter Call_A Merry Vinnies Christmas 2019.pdf Download View
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealandâs best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealandâs best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
Step by step for a great cause!
Our amazing Hillary Hikers from Edmund Hillary Village showed their support for Bowel Cancer New Zealand's Move Your Butt campaign this month!
Sporting the bright purple and orange campaign shirts, these wonderful walkers hit the Auckland waterfront and marched from Mission Bay to Kohimarama, raising awareness for bowel cancer and the importance of early detection along the way.
Click read more to read the full story.
đ§Šđ Riddle me this, NeighboursâŚ
I am an odd number. Take away a letter and I become even. What number am I?
Do you think you know the answer?
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