COMMENT: Every family is divided into richer and poorer members simply because some people are luckier or more talented and hard-working than others.

Preschool children are heading to the Auckland City Mission to help out the people who need a bit of extra support this Christmas.

WATCH: Unitec preschool kids bring donations and some much-needed cheer to the Auckland City Mission.

WATCH: Families are facing a bleak Christmas in cramped motel rooms that are costing taxpayers thousands of dollars each week.

This week, the Herald and Herald Focus are profiling struggling families who have lined up for parcels or food at Auckland's City Mission.

Anthony Hill-Tamihana, who has been struggling to find a job, needs City Mission's help this year to give his sons and wife a "nice" Christmas.

Mother-of-three Trish Kaiawe suddenly needed City Mission's help after quitting her job to have a baby a year ago.

Trisha, a mother-of-three has come to the Auckland City Mission to help ease the stress of Christmas this year.

Tristram visits the Auckland City Mission to learn about the 2016 child poverty monitor and it's shocking results. The Auckland City Mission are also handing out food and christmas gifts to those who need it. Children's commissioner Judge Andrew Becroft and Auckland City Missioner Chris Farrelly share their views on the findings.

There's only a handful of suburbs left in all of Auckland where first home buyers can get a helping hand from the government.

Opetaia Siale won't be spending Christmas at home - he'll be cleaning Wellington's public toilets while his family forgo presents so they can afford a Christmas meal.

Tanya Quedley, 48, was sexually abused by her own father from age 9 or 10 until she ran away at 14.

Social issues reporter Simon Collins visited three communities to look for the root causes of that bad child abuse record. Second stop: Kaikohe. For as long as Destiny O'Brien can remember, her father has been in and out of jail.

COMMENT: While we score high in the indices for peace and transparency, our poverty and inequality gaps have grown.

New Zealand has the fourth-highest rate of child deaths from assault in the OECD. Simon Collins visited three communities to look for the root causes of that bad child abuse record. First: Flaxmere.

NZ has the fourth-highest rate of child deaths from assault in the OECD. Simon Collins visited three communities to look for the root causes.

Filipino president Rodrigo Duterte has ordered a banquet lunch be delivered to his Auckland hotel ahead of his expected departure later today.

A survey which revealed access problems to the child disability allowance has raised more questions than answers.

COMMENT: Does the success of outsider Republican nominee Donald Trump signal the time for a political revolution in Godzone too?

Emergency housing funding marks the Government's acceptance that it must ensure every New Zealander has adequate shelter.

Government reshuffles fever programme money to boost awareness in Auckland

Are the National Government and Murray McCully guilty of corruption? The official verdict is now in, but not everyone agrees.

Are you angry about the widening gap between rich and poor? Or are you sceptical about the stats?

Art gallery owner Benji Hinch is trading free art for sanitary products so he can put together care packages for people living rough.

COMMENT: Kiwis encounter a steady stream of political messages that individuals, families and communities should "step up" and take responsibility for their problems.

COMMENT: Riding buses reminds your columnist of what he might have become had not a bit of genetic blessing come along and saved him.

COMMENT: We simply have to do better for children in NZ. Choosing not to - to count rodents because it is easier - is completely unacceptable.

Dame Tariana Turia has accused the Government of spending more money on locking people up than on combating poverty. The former Maori

Only two beggars on the streets of Hamilton are homeless, police survey shows.

Women's refuges, church agencies and other community groups will soon have to hand over their client details to the Government in