Support our Christmas Campaign! 🎄
We are collecting gifts to help facilitate Christmas for whai ora who may struggle to provide it.
Please deliver gifts by 12 December to allow time to distribute them. Gifts can be delivered during office hours Monday to Friday 9am-5pm.
Gifts should be new and unwrapped so we can ensure safety and quality, and to help us distribute gifts based on likes and interests.
See gift ideas below.
For children:
- Toys, such as dolls, Lego, science or craft sets, and outdoor play equipment
(no toy guns or weapons including water pistols, nerf guns, and light sabres) - Board games or card games
- Children’s books
- Backpacks
- Lunchboxes
- Craft materials, colouring books, etc.
- Clothes/dress up items
For teens/tweens:
- Clothes/socks etc.
- Books and stationery
- Body spray/shower gel
- Vouchers (e.g. Warehouse, Kmart, Glassons)
- Inexpensive jewellery (bangles, etc.)
- Hair ties, hairbrushes, clips
- Sports equipment, drink bottles, etc.
- Nail varnish/make up brushes, etc.
For adults (including men)
- Clothes/socks, etc.
- Candles
- Books
- Pampering items (lotions, perfume, aftershave, shower gel, face masks)
- Chocolate, nice non-perishable food
- Drink bottles, mugs,
- Petrol or supermarket vouchers
- Wrapping paper, ribbons, and gift tags
While some of our whai ora have babies and toddlers and we love to receive gifts for them, we only work directly with children five and up and have greater need for this age range.
Outside of Christmas
Our whai ora/clients often face challenging circumstances, including needing to leave their homes quickly with minimal belongings, and experiencing financial hardship or abuse. We are incredibly thankful for the community's willingness to donate goods to support them. We accept the following.
Brand new items:
- Non-perishable food products
- Care packs or treats to go in care packs – e.g. chocolate, sweets, hot chocolate sachets, calming teas (must be sealed)
- Toiletries, including toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, toiletries for men, and pampering items which can be used as gifts
- Nappies
- Sanitary products
- Self-soothing items – e.g. anti-stress colouring books, packs of colouring pens and pencils, stress balls and/or fidget toys
- Toys and books for children 5+
Second hand:
- Smartphones, 8GB or above
- nice women's clothing (need varies so please contact our team first)
Vouchers:
- Warehouse, Kmart, or mall vouchers
- Supermarket vouchers
- Petrol vouchers
- Phone top ups
We cannot accept
Due to our limited storage, client sensitivities, and staff capacity for sorting, testing, and distributing items, we do not accept the following.
- Furniture
- Whiteware
- Baby items such as second-hand wooden cots, walkers or car seats
- Second hand bedding
- Second hand household items (kitchenware, cutlery, etc.)
- Second hand electrical items (unless tagged and tested by a professional)
- Perishable food items
- Damaged, expired or opened goods
- Pills of any kind (including vitamins and supplements)
- Lighters, cigarettes or alcohol
- Second hand soft toys
- Toy weapons such as nerf guns, water pistols, or lightsabres
Where can I donate my items instead?
We still have need for many of the above items. Aviva works collaboratively with other social service organisations to provide many essentials to clients / whai ora. By donating your goods to the following organisations, you are still supporting Aviva clients.
- Salvation Army – clothing, household goods, furniture
- City Mission – clothing, household goods, furniture
- Christchurch Aunties – household goods, furniture, toiletries for women and children (no clothing)
- The Brotherhood – clothing, household goods, furniture for men and children
- PIPS - baby items
- It Takes a Village – baby and toddler clothes and items
- Clothed in Love – preloved or new children’s clothing, premature to 16
- Dress for Success – professional women’s clothing
- Curtain Bank through Community Energy Action – curtains
- Blanket Bank through Christchurch Methodist Mission – blankets and bedding
I want to donate care packages
Many organisations want to put together care packages for whai ora. We love to receive these, but may face storage issues. Please inform us of your intentions at ✉[email protected] to ensure we have space available.
What to put in care packages:
- Reusable bags to hold everything (preferably drawstring or zipper)
- General toiletries, including toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant
- Pampering items – e.g. lotions, face masks, etc.
- Treats – e.g. chocolate, sweets, hot chocolate sachets, calming teas (must be sealed)
- Self-soothing items – e.g. anti-stress colouring books, packs of colouring pens and pencils, stress balls and/or fidget toys
- Packages for men (in gender neutral bags)
What to skip or include separately:
- Sanitary products (we store these separately and include them as needed)
- Makeup, nail polish or jewellery (these tend to be very personal, so we prefer to leave them out for whai ora to choose themselves)
Contact Aviva
If you have any questions, email ✉[email protected] or call ✆0800 28 48 26.