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March 2024
At De Paul House, we're reminded daily of the poverty of opportunity confronting our families across housing, education, employment, and health. De Paul House works to improve the hardship experienced by those on low income across all these areas. Just as importantly is the team’s role in supporting the emotional trauma experienced by those coming to our door. This particularly impacts on the children.
Currently, we have 133 children living in our housing, ranging from newborns to teenagers. The school-aged children went off to school with a new school bag, lunch box and stationery. Giving them the best start to a new school term is essential to developing confidence and lifelong learning. The provision of basics removes the stigma attached to poverty.
“They made me feel like I was worth caring for. I’ve been in a lot of systems, but I’ve never been somewhere like this.” De Paul House family.
Hardship means....
Lacking the basics such as having enough beds and bedding for each child, clothing for growing children and fresh nutritious food. This makes a house a home. De Paul House is unfunded to provide families access to needed supports such as clothing, bedding, and food. We self-fund our Community Learning Centre and mostly self-fund the Early Childhood Centre.
Recently, we received a very welcome donation of brand-new children and adults underwear, socks, and preschool clothing. Accepting and distributing these donations requires significant staff and volunteer time. This work is again unfunded. It was very humbling to read the responses from families and senior citizens who received these goods.
“It is hard to put into words the difference that this donation has made to so many people, to see the gratitude on people’s faces and the relief it brought cannot be described.” De Paul House social worker
Restoring confidence and hope, is the focus of the work at De Paul House.
Your donation allows us to ensure we can continue to provide practical and meaningful support to New Zealand families, struggling under the high cost of living.
“From the bottom of our hearts, we would like to express our sincere gratitude from our family, for providing the donated Christmas
gifts and vouchers and food, especially during this difficult period and time we are going through.When we received the gifts, I as the
father of the family, truly felt humbled and honoured as I truly thought my grandchildren weren't going to get any Christmas presents at
all this year. I guess there is a lot I wanted to say in sincerely expressing our gratitude, but it all come down to, THANK YOU, THANK
YOU, THANK YOU very much to you all.”
“We are going through a tough time, but it just shows there are people out there with love and care for strangers. From our hearts thank
You!
“I picked a Santa barbie for [my daughter] and she was so ecstatic when she saw it. She's taken it everywhere with her, to sleep, bath,
swimming! lol It really made her Christmas because she's been asking for one for a while and I couldn’t afford one but thank you so much
to your team for providing the opportunity, to gift to us and our kids.”
Bequests
Please consider a gift to De Paul House in your will. Be a part of effecting lasting change for New Zealand families. Gifts left in
Wills will make a huge contribution to the work of De Paul House, providing the vital funds we need to continue our work. If you would
like to know more, please contact Jan on
admin@depaulhouse.org.nz
Thank you for your part in letting families know that people care and want to make a difference.
Jan Rutledge, QSM
General Manager
