A Bed for Every Child – Collaborating with Variety

This year, through the Healthy Homes Initiative, Variety - the children’s charity partnered with Habitat to support whānau in creating a healthier sleep space for their pēpi and tamariki by providing quality cots and beds. 

Every day, Habitat works with whānau impacted by cold, damp and overcrowded homes, with some families sleeping in one room to keep warm. Visiting more than 1000 homes per year, Habitat aims to reduce avoidable and preventable hospitalisations and illnesses such as rheumatic fever and bronchiolitis, both caused by unhealthy housing conditions. 

Devon, Healthy Homes Programme Coordinator says, “The reality is, it’s not about a good bed or a bad bed for some whānau, it’s about having a bed at all.  

“Variety’s funding means we can do what we do. It means that after we have helped block out the cold, hung new curtains and scrubbed away the mould, we can show whānau effective ways to keep their homes warm and dry. We can give them a hand up off their cramped mattresses on the floor, or directly from the floorboards and into their very own healthy, clean new beds. Every child deserves that, right?” 

The result is transformational for families, who can feel proud of the home Habitat has helped them create.  

“It is always memorable to be embraced by whānau when delivering kids their new beds…some of the grins of disbelief I have been privileged to witness, some of the most heartfelt kai I have been shared with in gratitude. I wish we got to do more of that. I hope families know how deserving they are.” 

He taonga rongonui te aroha ki te tangata. Goodwill towards others is a precious treasure.