Donating Goods

Your gifts can make a big difference in the lives of whai ora.

You can help by providing resources for Aviva services and education programmes , or by providing essential goods that go directly to whai ora. Many whai ora face challenging circumstances, including financial abuse or needing to leave their homes quickly with minimal belongings. We are incredibly thankful for the community's willingness to donate goods to support them.

 

What we need

All items should be new and unopened.

Resources for Aviva services and education programmes

  • Worry dolls for tamariki group
  • Toys and books for children 5+ (please note we do not accept toy weapons)
  • Art supplies (e.g. sketch pads, colouring books, good quality markers) for rangatahi youth 
  • Self-soothing items (e.g. stress balls and/or fidget toys)
  • Pampering items or treats for both men and women (e.g. chocolates, sweets, fancy hand creams or shower gels, etc.)
  • Care packs or items to go in care packs. See below for more information.

Essential items for whai ora

  • Warehouse, Kmart, or mall vouchers
  • Supermarket vouchers
  • Petrol vouchers
  • Non-perishable food products or food packs. See below for more information.
  • Toiletries, including toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, toiletries for men
  • Nappies
  • Sanitary products

 

Food and Care Packs

Many of our whai ora leave relationships or move to new homes with nothing but the clothes on their back. Food and care packs make it easy for our kaimahi to grab a pack and go when someone is in need.

I want to donate care packages

We love to receive these but may face storage issues. Please inform us of your intentions at ✉community@aviva.org.nz to ensure we have space available.

We separate our care packs into Sexual Violence (SV) care packs for those undergoing examinations following an assault, and Family Violence (FV) care packs for those who need to leave their homes suddenly or are struggling to provide essentials.

What to put in SV care packages:

  • Plain or gently patterned wool/fleece blankets
  • Travel size toiletries suitable for women - body wash, body lotion, shampoo and conditioner (recommended brands Ethique, OGX, TRESemme, Natio, Antipodes)
  • Travel size toiletries suitable for men
  • Treats – e.g. chocolate, sweets, hot chocolate sachets, calming teas (must be sealed)
  • Self-soothing items – e.g. anti-stress adult colouring books, packs of colouring pens and pencils, stress balls and/or fidget toys

What to put in FV care packages:

  • Reusable bags to hold everything (preferably drawstring or zipper)
  • General toiletries, including toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant
  • Pampering items – e.g. lotions, face masks, etc.
  • Treats or self-soothing items
  • Packages for men (in gender neutral bags)

What to skip or include separately:

  • Sanitary products (we store these separately and include them as needed)
  • Makeup, nail polish or jewellery (these tend to be very personal, so we prefer to leave them out for whai ora to choose themselves)
  • Colouring crayons for children
I want to donate food packs

For whai ora already in crisis, the effort that goes into figuring out what to cook, how to use unfamiliar ingredients, or knowing whether their children will even eat it can be overwhelming. Food packs with purposeful ingredients lists and recipes, take that pressure off.

 

Ingredients lists and recipes

Here are four easy food packs you can make. Just gather everything from the ingredients list, put it together in a bag, then deliver them to Aviva. If your able, include a printed copy of the recipe with the food pack.

Breakfast Pack [PDF 233 KB]

Tomato Pasta or Gnocchi [PDF 525 KB]

Rice Risotto [PDF 680 KB]

Satay Noodle Soup [PDF 614 KB]

The pictures are there to help you find ingredients, but feel free to grab a different or more affordable brand.

 

I want to supplement my food packs

Here's some ideas for supplementing the food packs or other foods you can donate separately.

 

What we cannot accept

Due to our limited storage, client sensitivities, and staff capacity for sorting, testing, and distributing items, we do not accept the following.

  • Furniture
  • Whiteware
  • Baby items such as second-hand wooden cots, walkers or car seats
  • Second hand bedding
  • Second hand household items (kitchenware, cutlery, etc.)
  • Second hand electrical items (unless tagged and tested by a professional)
  • Perishable food items
  • Damaged, expired or opened goods
  • Pills of any kind (including vitamins and supplements)
  • Lighters, cigarettes or alcohol
  • Second hand soft toys
  • Toy weapons such as nerf guns, water pistols, or lightsabres

 

Where can I donate my items instead?

We still have need for many of the above items. Aviva works collaboratively with other social service organisations to provide many essentials. By donating your goods to the following organisations, you are still supporting Aviva clients.

 

Contact Aviva

If you have any questions, email ✉community@aviva.org.nz or call ✆0800 28 48 26.