Plunket volunteers, Alison McTaggart and Carol Harvey provide warmth, dignity, community and connection to whānau with young children. Between them, they have 20 years’ experience supporting whānau in their community and were recently jointly awarded ‘Volunteer of the Year’, as part of the Northern region’s Plunket celebrations for National Volunteer week.
Through the Clothing Swap Shop, which operates out of the West Auckland Plunket Family Centre, Alison and Carol carefully curate donated clothing items for newborns and children up to five years, and welcome families with kind smiles and helping hands.
Alison told us about one recent feel- good story from her time at the Shop. “A mother had been coming in for a few weeks. She told me she found herself driving to the Family Centre every Wednesday, even when she didn’t have much money, because she loved the feeling of being able to browse, to shop—even if it was just 50 cents an item. It made her feel like a mum who could provide.”
Ka pai, Alison and Carol!
Find out more about volunteering with Plunket.