Clothe our kids – Waikato came about when we realised that we had a surplus of good, used children’s clothing that our own children had outgrown. Knowing that there are families in our community that struggle to provide their children with basics like clothing led us to the realisation that we could help.
We started in a spare room, which slowly filled with donated clothing and packs being distributed through midwives and the hospital. After an increase of enquiries through our Facebook page we became aware how extensive the need for this in our community really is.
With requests growing exponentially each week, we made the decision to distribute exclusively through agencies such as Family Start, Plunket and Parentline.
This has brought us to where we are today, averaging 50 children clothed per week.
Nikki is a busy mum of two boys Liam, 15 and Connor, 14.
Working fulltime from home for ANZ, this works well with her busy family including 3 Border Collies and 2 cats.
She loves to spend time with family, taking her dogs for walks and doing Reformer Pilates.
A busy mum of three – Alyssa, 20, Regan, 17 and Braith, 14.
Nicole works part time at Little Split P and also takes care of her elderly dad who lives with her and her family.
Also an animal lover, Nicole has two dogs of her own as well as 3 cats.
Meet our very first volunteer, who’s been part of our journey for over five incredible years. A devoted mum to two energetic little ones —Charlie (9) and Benny (7)—she somehow also finds time to run her own preloved kids’ store, Little Split P. Thanks to the support of her wonderful customers, she generously donates a portion of her sales to support Waikato charities—including us.
Maia has been volunteering weekly with Clothe Our Kids since 2020. She is a full time Mum to 3 children, George, Brooklyn and Franco. Her hobbies include sewing, gardening, trying new recipes and keeping active.
Emily has been helping out Clothe our Kids for 9 years since she was in high school. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Applied Management and works full time as a Business Events Planner, across 4 venues in Hamilton.
Karin lives in Cambridge with her husband Rodney, and is a mum to three married daughters and a Nana to three grandchildren. She is also a retired preschool teacher. In her spare time, Karin loves being creative, baking and gardening. She joined Clothe our Kids as a volunteer in 2024. Karin a is a huge help, she sorts the clothing, helps with packing packs, and also coordinates a group of ladies who sew the bags that the clothing is packed into. This upcycles duvets and sheets which charity shops can’t sell which saves them from landfill. A win for everyone.
Natasha is a brand new mum that is also undertaking an apprenticeship to become a qualified Carpenter through Foster’s. Natasha loves to spend her spare time with her four fur babies going on new walking tracks. Natasha comes in during her spare time to help sort and put together packs.
TBC
Our mission is to provide Waikato children in need with good quality second-hand clothing. By filling this need we can help ensure these children are clothed and warm while helping reduce the financial pressure on their parents.