After an amazing community response to a fire that almost claimed her life, helping others became a matter of karma for Mary-Jane McKinlay.
As a co-ordinator for Food Help Dunedin, she provides emergency food parcels to families in need.
Demand ramps up for Christmas, but in a usual week the group provides up to 20 food parcels to regulars and those who reach out through its Facebook page.
The community rallied to support her, including complete strangers.
"I was dumbfounded by the response to it - we had so many donations given to us.
"Things like dinner sets, and toys for the kids, even sleeping bags, stuff you wouldn’t even think of just showed up for weeks on end."
She then decided to help people where possible in future.
"It’s kind of that karma thing - you get and you give."
However, the group relied on public donations, and these were significantly lower than usual.
It had about one-third of the amount it had this time last year, making it difficult to stockpile for the Christmas-New Year period.
"Christmas is when it all gets a lot larger -we look at around about 100 parcels each Christmas to give out, with gifts as well.
"We’re all a wee bit concerned about how we’re going to pull this off."
People were struggling, she said.
"You’ve got skyrocketing rents in Dunedin, power bills, petrol - everything goes up except the wage."
She hoped more donations would be made across the group’s six donation points: Wal’s Plant and Fun Land, Outram Primary School, Taieri Squash Club, 432 Hillside Rd, Tahuna Camp Store and NZ Post Centre Mornington.
Her daughters pitched in for Food Help Dunedin every Christmas.
"I guess that’s what I’ve always done because of her.
"It gives me a sense of joy."
For Jasmin Paterson, receiving a Christmas food parcel enabled her to make the day special for the five children and grandchildren who lived with her.
"It’s very helpful, especially in these times, because otherwise we’d have nothing."
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