"Christmas is most truly Christmas when we celebrate it by giving the light of love to those who need it most."

Ruth Carter Stapleton

We arrive at the end of 2024, ready to celebrate Christmas. This has been a busy and eventful year, and we would like to take this opportunity to show you, our community of support, what we achieved together. 

The increase in Kāinga Ora apartments in Northcote has seen us "re-home" 197 adults, 307 children and 7 seniors from our transitional housing and sustaining tenancy support service into their own home. 

They are delighted to be housed into modern, warm properties and leave behind the recent memory of living in poor rentals or moving from one overcrowded home to another. Family and friends are frequently anxious to help, but this puts their own housing in jeopardy and increases health risks. 

COMMUNITY OF CARING

De Paul House is indebted to the many individuals, schools, churches, businesses and organisations who support our work with: 

• Regular donations of food, donations of good quality clothing, furniture, bedding and household goods. This sets up families in their own home when they move out. 

• School children bring in baking for families. Alice, a young Carmel College student has volunteered since she was 11 years old. 

• Corporate teams donate time and tackle many tasks from mowing lawns, to painting fences, cleaning units and gardening. 

• People knit blankets, baby clothes, make patchwork quilts, and our whānau are the lucky recipients.

For many living with us, this is the first act of kindness in a long while and a healing step in seeing that the Aotearoa New Zealand community cares.