Stan Walker releases Aotearoa Christmas song with Kindness Collective calling on Kiwis to help families in need. Video / Supplied
Kiwi singer Stan Walker has partnered with the charity Kindness Collective to release a Christmas song to raise money and awareness for families in need this holiday season.
All proceeds from the song, titled Te Teo o te Kirihimete (Favourite Part About Christmas), will go towards helping 20,000 children receive gifts via the Christmas Joy Store.
From December 1-23, parents can access the Auckland store, which hosts a large selection of new, donated toys. This ensures tamariki in need have a present to unwrap this Christmas.
At least 60,000 toys are needed for this massive operation, which also entails thousands of hours of work and more than 350 volunteers, and Walker is helping the cause with his uniquely Kiwi tune.
The video accompanying the song is a direct call to action to help the charity, which also features animated versions of his wife and two children.
Kindness Collective founder and CEO Sarah Page said this year there is a bigger need than ever to bring kindness and joy to people in our communities.
“After the devastating impact of this year’s weather events, and a harrowing cost of living crisis, many families are struggling more than ever before. With over 682,500 Kiwis currently going without day-to-day essentials, the season of giving can be a difficult time for families with nothing to give,” Page said.
“For thousands of children across Aotearoa, waking up on Christmas without presents or even food is a harsh reality. Every child deserves a magical Christmas, and every parent or caregiver deserves to be able to provide that for their tamariki. That’s why we’re bringing back the Joy Store again, with the goal of giving 20,000 children something special to unwrap.
“We’ve experienced record-high demand, with thousands of families already on the wait list for the chance to visit the Joy Store. This year has been tough for many whānau across Aotearoa, and every donation we receive brings us a step closer to providing a magical Christmas for families in need.”
The Joy Store social toy store from the Kindness Collective offers Christmas presents for children from families in hardship.
Page said she is incredibly thankful to Walker for lending his voice to their cause. Walker said it was a no-brainer to partner with the charity as gift-giving is his favourite part of Christmas.
“The joy on my little one’s faces is the greatest present, and no one in Aotearoa should miss out on creating magic Christmas memories,” Walker said
“There should be no sense of shame or having let the Whānau down this December for any family in Aotearoa.”
