Katrina Eyles knows what it is like to need support from the community, and as Helping Families Nelson’s new manager she’s determined to extend the charity’s reach across the region to help more people.
For the past few years, her family has experienced firsthand what it means to rely on wrap-around support from the community. That sparked a desire to give back, leading her to the charity that collects donated goods and distributes them to families doing it tough.
A team of about 20 volunteers supports the charity, which provides goods to families via referrals from agencies and groups. It also opens to the public two days a week at its Lower Queen St premises. She knows there are more people to help.
“What happens to those people who can’t come to us on those days or don’t have any transport? One of my goals is to secure sponsorship for a car to get into the community and reach those people who are most in need.”
She also wants to find key people in communities around the region to help identify those people who need help and make a referral to the charity, especially if they don’t seek help themselves.
“It’s about removing that barrier of embarrassment. Sometimes you can see people are nervous about asking us for help. To me, it’s all about having the conversations and relationship building. And even saying: ‘is there anything else you are struggling with?’”
Donations are always welcome, especially children’s clothes, linen, bedding of all sizes and baby gear. But she stresses the items need to be a reasonable quality and not ripped or stained.
“It’s not a handout – it’s a hand up. We want people to feel good about what they are given. It’s not a dumping ground.”
Another goal is adding food to the charity’s support, but she says it’s a matter of working out how to do it safely and ensure it benefits the people who need it.
