Kindness campaign keeping children warm this winter

By Petrina Wright | Posted: Monday May 6, 2024

With winter fast approaching, Southland families in need will have help to stay warm.

This year, Family Works Southland has been selected as a recipient of the Kindness Collective Foundation's nationwide PJ Project on behalf of the families it supports.

The Kindness Collective’s PJ Project, in partnership with The Warehouse, involves collecting donations of new pyjamas for tamariki who might go without over winter as a result of hardship.

“We are delighted our families will be recipients of the Kindness Collective’s PJ Project,” Family Works director Judith McInerney said.

“Many of our families struggle to meet basic needs and their homes are often cold.

“Knowing the children will be warm and cosy in their beds at night will be a comfort to their parents and will see the children well rested and happy.”

Between May 1 and June 30, people can drop donations of new children’s winter pyjamas into a collection bin at The Warehouse in Invercargill for Southland families. Donations collected will be given to Family Works to distribute to families in need in the region.

In addition to being the collection point, The Warehouse is donating winter items to the value of $500 per store towards the initiative.

Kindness Collective chief executive and founder Sarah Page said they were delighted to extend their support to Family Works in Southland, around the South Island, as well as to multiple regions in the North Island through the PJ Project.

“We know the benefits of providing tamariki with warm, winter pyjamas in the colder months, and we're grateful for the incredible Family Works staff on the ground working to share them with their whānau around Aotearoa.”

Statistics NZ estimates more than 143,000 children are living in material hardship, going without necessities including access to food, shelter, healthcare and heating. Living in a cold home has been proven to affect children’s health, school attendance and overall wellbeing.

To find out more about the PJ Project and how to get involved, click here.