However, thanks to the Kindness Collective Foundation’s PJ Project, many whānau have one less thing to worry about. The PJ Project has provided around 1,800 West Auckland children with warm winter pyjamas.
The Auckland-based Kindness Collective spreads kindness by connecting children and families with the things they need. The charity matches those in need to others in the community with time, money, or resources to spare. Kindness Collective helps with everyday essentials like food boxes, school uniforms, and stationery. And it also covers those special moments in every child’s life with birthday and Christmas presents or treats.
‘Every Kiwi deserves to have everything they need to thrive and not just survive,’ says Chief Executive Officer Sarah Page. ‘We work to fill the gaps in government and agency support wherever we can through donations of everyday essentials and moments of joy,’ she adds.
The Kindness Collective was founded in 2014 and started as a small group of people wanting to do good in the community. Since those early days, the charity has grown to a nationwide network of over 25,000 people with donors, volunteers, brands and businesses all working together to build a kinder Aotearoa.
The organisation has a big presence in West Auckland. Sarah estimates that around 70 per cent of Kindness Collective’s work is out west. And the charity has partnerships with local schools, early childhood centres, social services and charities like Family Works and Lifewise.
The PJ Project is just one of the many initiatives the Kindness Collective oversees. ‘We know that when children have a good night’s sleep, they wake up feeling more refreshed,’ declares Sarah. She says tamariki will have fewer days off sick and can better concentrate at school. A new pair of winter pyjamas helps ensure children are warm and snuggly at night. And while it won’t solve every problem facing hard-pressed families, it’s a fantastic start.
The PJ Project has been a massive success, with 1,800 West Auckland kids and over 12,000 nationwide receiving their own pair of warm PJs. A successful application to the Your West Support Fund contributed 400 PJs to the total for West Auckland.
‘The significant donation from the Your West Support Fund made such a difference,’ explains Sarah. ‘It meant we could buy in bulk and get the PJs out to children in record time,’ she adds.
The Kindness Collective is always on the lookout for volunteers or offers of help. So, if you or your business can donate time or resources, get in touch.