Your support will help keep children warm this winter

An important effort by the Rotary Club of Howick to help keep children warm during winter is under way and it needs all the help it can get.

The club’s annual Blankets 4 Kids 4 Winter initiative runs throughout May with support from kind-hearted east Auckland locals who are urged to donate blankets at handy drop-off locations.

They’ll eventually be distributed to families in need in the community.

“Blankets are collected from the community as well as being purchased from members, the public, and Rotary Club of Howick Community Trust donations,” club president Rob Mouncey says.

“This year with reducing volumes of blankets and the administration of the Howick Information Centre moving to a commercial model through Auckland Council, the collection points will be Howick Village Optometrist, House of Travel in Picton Street and Grasslands in Moore Street.”

Mouncey says a team of people will move the donated blankets from collection points to Ray White Howick’s basement for sorting and storage.

“A team will also be needed to sort and pack the blankets into plastic bags for distribution to All Saints Anglican Church, Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church, Stand Tu Maia (Stand Children’s Services Manukau) and Littlemore (New Lynn).”

People can also donate money toward the project via the portal on the club’s website at www.howickrotary.org.nz.

“Money from the public will be added to member donations and the total will then be matched by the trust,” Mouncey says.

“The purchased blankets will be delivered to Stand Tu Maia’s premises for break up and delivery to All Saints Anglican Church and Our Lady Star of the Sea.”