Helping Families will be able to reach new corners of the region with a gift of a new car from Honda Nelson.
On Friday, Honda Nelson presented Helping Families with a brand-new Honda CRV Hybrid, the first car the charity has had.
Until now, the organisation has relied on volunteers using their private vehicles to collect uniforms, food and other goods, to distribute to the community.
Helping Families manager Katrina Eyles says the gift will enable them to reach more families in need.
“We cover Nelson Tasman, which includes Murchison and Golden Bay. So, at Christmas time when we’ve got all our presents, we can bundle them up and reach those children, because they’re the people that can’t get to us.”
She says, it also means they won’t have to miss out on donations due to transport limitations.
“It’s going to mean we can serve the community better.”
Honda Nelson distribution manager Graham Price says that the vehicle was funded through the sale of heritage and unique Honda vehicles after the company’s distribution operations moved north.
“The distribution centre has ceased its function, so that's bringing to a close Honda's main presence in Nelson. From April 1980 through to now, Honda has probably processed 200,000 vehicles through Nelson during that time.
“Honda's very proud of the heritage with Nelson. We had a collection of heritage cars that we had manufactured, plus a few other unique models. We decided going forward that we wouldn't retain the entire collection. We already had some in Auckland, so the best thing to do with those would be to auction them off.
“As a mark of respect for all the contributions that the community has given us over those years, we felt it would be good to use those proceeds to return something back to the community.”
Graham says that they were looking for one that they could really help mobilise to do more of their valuable work.
“We wanted to be enabling a charity who could further what they're doing and maybe take some of the burden off because a lot of these charities are supported by volunteers.”
Graham says, the team saw Helping Families as a charity that does “wonderful work” but isn’t one that people jump to recognise alongside the plethora of options.
The vehicle will be a game-changer for the organisation’s ability to help families in need.
“Volunteers already do so much for us already, you feel bad asking them to take their own vehicles to do something, but now I can ask them to grab the car and help this family out,” Katrina says.
Powersigns provided signwriting for the vehicle, while NPD have come on board as a fuel sponsor.
