Te Tuinga Whanau Trust played host to more than 160 past and present clients, with a special Christmas Kai feast at Greerton Hall this week.
Trust executive director Tommy Wilson said the Christmas Kai had two purposes.
"The first was to host 168 people the trust had worked with throughout the year to a meal and the second was to honour five young people previously living on the streets or in desperate poverty a year ago, who were now in meaningful employment. Everyone got a really nice Christmas present and a wonderful kai. It was just a wonderful afternoon.
"A lot of these people are quite proud and won't go to the usual church Christmas Day kai. Most of the people were mums, really good mums, some looking after eight, six, five kids and their husbands and partners were either in jail, going back to jail or have left their families for whatever reason. We've got mums that don't qualify for help anywhere else. It was their day."
South City Baptist helped to wrap presents and on the day sung Christmas carols and prepared food. Mr Wilson said a year ago there were five unemployed young people sitting at the Christmas Kai feast who now had jobs, made possible by the trust partnering with local businesses, including Comvita, Higgins, Carrus, and Rowe Motors.
