Pauline’s family was one of more than 11,000 families who received a hamper of festive food and children’s gifts from the Mission last Christmas. 

It was a special day for Pauline and her family, with roast chicken, pavlova and custard for Christmas dinner, and presents for her two young daughters. 

“Having nice food and sitting down to play with the presents, it made Christmas festive. It meant a lot for us all.  We wouldn’t have had such a joyful time if it wasn’t for Mission.” 

Pauline’s life was turned upside down a few years ago.  She was devastated to be diagnosed with a chronic mental health condition after a severe breakdown led to her being hospitalized.  

“It was a very hard time in my life,” recalls Pauline. “I lost sense of myself, of my identity.” 

She has since had more stays in hospitals and is still understanding how the condition affects her, but she no longer feels like she’s constantly in “survival mode”. 

“It is going to be a lifetime thing, but I’ve had a lot of therapy and I am more aware of my health now.” 

Pauline has two young daughters with her partner Cody, and they are her pride and joy. 

“I’m trying my best to be there for my girls and to keep a happy home.” 

But while her episodes are not as frequent as they have been in the past thanks to the medication she’s on, her mental health challenges have made life – and parenting -extraordinarily hard.  Cody has had to give up his job to be primary carer for their daughters while they are little. 

Although her health condition makes getting and keeping a job hard, Pauline has been looking for part-time work to ease their financial pressures.  

Until Pauline and Cody can get back into paid work, paying for food and bills is a daily struggle. “Our car keeps breaking down and it is such a pain when we have car problems or a doctor’s bill. The bills can be overwhelming. Food prices are way up. It just adds up and we need that extra help.” 

It’s been a relief for the family to get food support from the Mission from time to time, in those weeks when they haven’t been able to afford food, nappies and other essentials.  

Pauline can still remember the first meal she cooked using food from the Mission, after hearing about our food bank from a Mission op shop: “I made a baked beans stew, I put onions and carrots in it, then I did a mixed salad with chickpeas and lettuce.” 

For parents like Pauline and Cody, who are struggling to put food on the table, Christmas can be an especially stressful time of the year. The simple wish of every parent to make Christmas magical for their children can put extra pressure on already tight budgets. 

Pauline fondly remembers the celebrations she enjoyed as a child: “I got a stocking and we had a decorated tree. It was a family thing, with cousins and aunties and uncles coming over,” she recalls.  

Like any mother, she really wants Christmas to be a special time for her children as well.  

“I want them to have a Christmas tradition, to know that it’s about coming together, that it’s a season of giving and receiving. But it’s really hard for us, because money’s tight. Last Christmas, I was worried about getting anything for the girls.” 

With the cost of living higher than ever, there are thousands of families like Pauline’s across Tāmaki Makaurau, who need our help this year.  

Christmas food hampers from the Mission include ingredients for a festive meal, treats like mince pies and chocolate, and enough fresh food and pantry staples to last four days.  

And our support at Christmas provides parents like Pauline with so much more than food.  It gives the opportunity to celebrate with loved ones, relief from financial pressure and the dignity of providing for their children. 

When Pauline and Cody received a festive hamper from the Mission last year, they were thrilled to get not only delicious food but also presents for the girls.  

She will never forget the looks on her daughters’ faces on Christmas morning when they opened the gifts she’d left on their beds. 

“I really appreciated having gifts for the girls. They were so excited!” she says, recalling how the toddlers reacted to their new dolls. “The joy on their faces… I treasured that!”