Please support our Winter Appeal

Winter makes everything harder when life is going against you.

No-one wants to live in poverty and debt, or to suffer from mental health and addiction issues, or to be without adequate housing, or to have to rely on the City Mission for regular food parcels.

But sadly far too many people in our community are facing one, two, or even all of these problems and they need help.

They have fallen through the often-wide cracks of the state help system and it’s the City Mission who they turn to. Then add in the extra stresses and costs of winter, and the cold season becomes the time when our clients need us more than ever – and we need our community’s support more than ever

One example which has caught the community’s imagination this winter was our Outreach Service worker finding a man sleeping out under just a sheet on a minus 5deg morning. He had a dog with him who kept him warm, and the dog was dressed in a beanie, booties and a jacket.

We had provided him previously with warm clothes and a sleeping bag but he had lost everything before the cold snap hit.  Life on the street can be very complicated.  He has very big issues and personal challenges but we will stick beside him, giving him all the help we can, with the goal of eventually getting him and his dog off the streets.

Winter is harsh and it will find out anyone who is struggling and vulnerable, and without support and reserves. That includes all the other homeless people who are living in cars, garages and couch surfing. And it includes an increasing number of elderly and families with jobs who just don’t have enough each week to keep going.

We are here for all of them.  The City Mission needs support as well through our Winter Appeal to keep doing this vital work. Thank you for all that you give us so we can give to the people in your community who need us most.

 Click here to make a donation now: DONATE

Corinne Haines

Christchurch City Missioner