Serving up distraction packs for children

This is Altrusa Tauranga president Sandra Bonney’s explanation to The Sun as she hands over boxes of books, toys, blackboards, and costumes to Tauranga Women’s Refuge late-May.

Sandra says Altrusa Tauranga’s donations to Women’s Refuge is a regular occurrence. “We have, in the last couple of years, come together, and we have been putting together Distraction Packs.

Safety programme

“They’re for the children that come into the Women’s Refuge, and that just helps them to have something to keep them occupied.”

Social worker Hannah Gracie, who accepted the donations on behalf of Women’s Refuge, works with the children who will benefit from these items.

“I do safety programmes along with my colleagues, and we work with kids who have experienced, witnessed, been around domestic violence.

“We will definitely be incorporating them into our safety programme, which we do with kids every day…We can utilise all of this, and it’s really nice to have some new resources that we can use.”

Members of Altrusa International Club of Tauranga advertised their public event for making sock puppets for their ‘Distraction Packs’ back in March.

Since then Tauranga Altrusa members have built the blackboards, sewed the bags, and assembled the Distraction Packs to present to Women’s Refuge.

Hannah says the impact of Altrusa’s service is not to be understated. “We’re so overwhelmed and truly grateful for what Altrusa has given us.”

Join up!

The non-profit is currently seeking manpower to continue providing support to Women’s Refuge, and other organisations. Sandra welcomes anyone interested. “If there are people out there who are looking to make new friends, to do good in the community then we’re a pretty good bunch of women to join.” Prospective members or helpers, can email Sandra Bonney at: president.tauranga@altrusa.org.nz