Big charity: 10,000 Christmas hampers for those in need

Volunteers gathered to pack the hampers. Photo / Supplied

An Auckland church has partnered with a host of sponsors to pack 10,000 food hampers for people in need this Christmas.

Around 700 volunteers gathered in Auckland and Hamilton today to pack boxes of 'food and treats' for people in New Zealand, Australia and the Cook Islands.

Off-duty Police officers and company CEOs were amongst the host of helpers packing the hampers for the LIFE Church 'Christmas Box' project, which is in it's fifteenth year.

It aims to total 14,000 boxes by the 12th of December.

Packing the hampers was a mammoth task. Photo / Supplied

Organiser Lili Lemalu said volunteers turned up at 7am and were still going strong.

"The atmosphere is amazing," she said, "it may seem like there are thousands of boxes to pack, but it's all about that one family.

"The most rewarding thing for us are the stories that come back. We partner with over 100 community agencies nationwide to help distribute our Christmas boxes to their clients. These organisations are the ones who are able to spot those with a high need," she said.

Ms Lemalu said CEOs from Tear Fund and Nestle had both joined in to help.

Each Christmas box has a value of $130 and will be distributed by community agencies to people in Auckland, Whangarei, Hamilton, Christchurch, Melbourne and the Cook Islands.

The church aims to hand out 20,000 boxes to families in need by the year 2020.