David Tua has decked himself out as Santa to help children in Ōtara experience Christmas.
He was supporting a team of businesses and volunteers.
They wanted children of low-income families to know the excitement of receiving presents at Christmas.
Tua’s appearance happened at Ōtara’s St John the Evangelist Catholic School.
He was taking part in a present drop in all Ōtara schools over five days.
The Child Abuse Prevention Foundation set up the Christmas present drop.
It hoped to raise enough money to pay for 10 thousand presents.
Each present consists of educational books and outdoor activities.
It gave them to babies and children up to the age of 13 years.
One of the organisers, Puti Taufa, says she knows there are families in Ōtara that need the help.
“Some of our kids don’t get presents and so this is our way of giving back,” she says.
Tua took part as his wife helped organise the present drop.
Community groups and social services combined for the distribution.
Many businesses donated money to pay for the presents.
In addition, many donated staff time.
Fundraising continues to pay for the presents, which each cost about $10.
Tua says his family didn’t have much when he was a kid.
“But you have to be creative and make your own little fun,” he says.
Auckland Mayor, Phil Goff, also attended a drop.
Goff says poverty prevents people reaching their potential.
“You can’t [achieve] if you’re living in cold or damp or you don’t get the same opportunities in life.”
Future Present Drops
While this events winds down, there is talk now of expanding the project to other Auckland suburbs.
In that case, community leaders in each would be responsible in their own suburb.
The Child Abuse Prevention Foundation set up a Give A Little page to help pay for the presents.
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