Over the Christmas period, Clarus teams across the motu (country) supported a range of community initiatives aimed at helping whānau during a particularly busy and challenging time of year.
Supporting Christmas Box
Local Police Officer supporting the community
At the end of last year, the Clarus team voted on which charity would receive our annual one-off Christmas donation of $5,000 from our Community Partnership Fund. The chosen organisation was Christmas Box, which provides food boxes filled with pantry essentials and festive treats to whānau (family) experiencing hardship.
Our contribution funded 125 Christmas boxes, each containing 19 essential food items and treats, helping ease pressure for families over the holidays.
Christmas Box said, “Thanks to Clarus’ generosity, 125 Christmas boxes were packed and delivered this season. Each box provided around $70 of value to families in need, helping give children and parents a moment of joy, comfort, and hope.”
One recipient also shared what receiving a Christmas box meant for their whānau, “Opening that box filled me with relief and gratitude. My kids were so excited, they enjoyed the treats straight away and the next morning they woke early to make pancakes with honey. That box didn’t just give us food, it gave us hope and a reminder that we are not alone.”
Kindness Collective donation
Alongside our Christmas Box contribution, Firstgas also donated a large quantity of new, unbranded gear that had been stored in our warehouse. This included just under 200 backpacks, over 100 drink bottles, and 94 cooler bags.
The items were gifted to the Kindness Collective, whose New Plymouth team works closely with Gabby’s Starlit HOPE and Roderique Hope Trust to support whānau in need.
Gabby’s Starlit HOPE said, “These will be gifted to kids heading to school next year who wouldn’t otherwise have a new bag. Thank you for embracing Gabby’s legacy of kindness — it means so much.”
Roderique Hope Trust added, “Your generosity will go a long way in supporting children in crisis, our Ready to Rent programme, and making Christmas a little brighter for whānau we support.”
Rockgas Dunedin Christmas Collection
Rockgas Dunedin donation
The Rockgas Dunedin team also ran their annual Christmas collection, focusing on food donations for local whānau. With support from some of the Rockgas team and customers, the team raised over $800 for groceries, which were purchased and delivered to Presbyterian Support.
Find out how we are spreading the GoodEnergy. Details and application form: clarus.co.nz/about-us/community
