This winter, we’ve been working with Variety – the children’s charity to help support our tamariki who don’t have a bed to keep them warm during the cold weather.
A warm place to dream
For tamariki, a bed isn’t just a piece of furniture, it’s a place to dream and grow. According to Stats NZ, 143,700 children across the country are living in poverty. Many sleep in damp and cold bedrooms, often without a bed of their own or inadequate bedding, putting them at risk of preventable and life-threatening illnesses.
Helping Kiwi kids thrive
Variety– the children’s charity has been working to help supply beds and bedding to families in need across Aotearoa New Zealand, working closely with the Healthy Homes Initiative (HHI). Variety’s Beds for Kids programme was established to provide beds and bedding to tamariki in need and aims to get them into beds of their own as quickly as possible.
To help more children and young people thrive in New Zealand, we’ve been the lead partner of the Beds for Kids programme since November 2021. With the programme, we hope to help more Kiwi kids fulfil their potential by having a warm place to dream.
There’s still work to do
It’s estimated that one-in-10 children in our poorest communities don’t have a bed to sleep in. “We’re only limited by the amount of funding we have. We could give out thousands more to children in need,” says Variety chief executive, Susan Glasgow. “Poverty is increasing in our country and bed poverty is increasing exponentially,” she says.
Last year, Variety raised more than $392,000 in their Winter Appeal, funding 3,060 new beds and/or bedding packs. This year, thanks to your generous donations, we’ve raised over $470,000, with all proceeds going directly to Variety. Variety partners with the Ministry of Health through the Healthy Homes Initiative (HHI) to deliver new mattresses, bedding, bedframes and cots to tamariki who need it most. Thank you for helping more Kiwi kids dream in a bed of their own. You can still donate to help Kiwi kids who need it most on Variety's website.