Desperate families queue at Mission overnight for Christmas cheer

People are lining up outside the Auckland City Mission from the early hours of the morning, hoping to get a box of groceries and a few presents for the kids this Christmas.

Doors do not open until 8am at the Hobson St mission, but people are queuing overnight, trying to get closer to the front of the next day's line.

Dozens of people - some of them children - were lined up at 9am on Wednesday.

Angela, who asks that her surname not be published, travelled in to the city from South Auckland. She is here with a niece who has three children in primary school and is struggling to make ends meet.

"Hopefully we'll be done before 3pm to pick up the kids,'' she says.

"The struggle is real. It's quite hard. People are living it hard - the rent, the bills. Forget about the food,'' she says with a dry laugh.

A friend of Angela's is too shy to speak to the Herald, but smiles and pulls her young daughter in for a fierce hug and a kiss on the forehead. The girl, who looks about 10 or 11 years old, is wearing a nightgown.

"They've been here since 4 o'clock this morning,'' Angela says.

"It's the sacrifice you have to make; waiting for something for free.''

Inside is a beehive of activity as workers and volunteers speak to each individual or family who comes in.

Out the back, another group of people are busy packing boxes full of groceries, while other volunteers sort presents for children and cut up large bits of wrapping paper to tuck inside.

That is so parents can wrap the presents themselves; knowing that they are doing something special for their child, someone explains.

Auckland City Mission chief executive, Chris Farrelly, says it is the busiest time of the year and they are gearing up for the days to get busier, as more families are expected to line up as Christmas day nears.

"Every day for the last week and then every day right up to Christmas, we provide for people in need. Every day, hundreds of people line up outside the City Mission - some since midnight. Hundreds come in every day with their families to receive these grants."

Just last week, the Mission gave out more than 1260 parcels to families in need.

"In New Zealand, poverty with our families is not decreasing and what we see on the streets now is the face of poverty - a lot of children who just don't have what we would consider the essentials of Christmas.

"Their families have no ability to buy a simple present. They don't have any extra food to make something special for Christmas. And I think as New Zealanders, we consider this essential for our community.''

The Mission is still taking donations and encourage those who can donate to do so.

Angela praised the City Mission for their work to directly help a struggling community.

"We live in South Auckland and come out all this way to get this help. We've got to come up with petrol [money], find a park and then come up with parking money.

"It's what you do if you really need something.''

• For more information on how to donate, visit www.aucklandcitymission.org.nz