Mothers and children arriving at Te Whare Pounamu Dunedin Women's Refuge with nothing but the clothes they are in now have one small thing to smile about.
Hundreds of toys have been given to the organisation to help put a smile on someone's face, thanks to the generosity of Cooke Howlison Toyota staff and customers.
They filled a Toyota Corolla with 147 toys, games, books and art supplies during the past month and handed them over to refuge workers last week.
''Oh my gosh that is amazing,'' refuge manager Krissie Anderson said when she saw the car full of toys.
She said a lot of the soft toys would go to the safe house where children could take one and keep it as a ''buddy''. They would also be used to fill the children's room at the Tamariki Programme and for birthday presents.
Refuge child advocate Mike Te Moananui said it was not easy to explain the impact that a simple gift or act of kindness had on the children who came through the refuge.
''You don't get to see the smile and the excitement.
''They come with nothing. They have got to leave all their stuff and all their toys. We use toys to break the ice a bit and make them feel like a child again,'' Mr Te Moananui said.
Cooke Howlison Toyota general manager Adrienne Ensor said they had a good response from their customers, customers at the parts and service area and staff had also donated.
Ironic Cafe also supported the toy drive by offering a free coffee or other drink to those who gave toys.
- by Dan Hutchinson
