David Letele encourages people to give this Christmas. Photo: Supplied/ BBM
A Pacific community advocate and a former professional heavyweight boxer is giving back to families doing it tough this Christmas.
Dave Letele, also known as the Brown Buttabean, says the festive season can be agonising for many across the Pacific region.
He told RNZ Pacific Christmas is turning into a "nightmare" in New Zealand for many families.
"They're waking up to no Christmas breakfast, lunch or dinner, no presents for their kids and life is just miserable. That's what it's like for so many families," he said.
Letele is encouraging those that can to get out and support local food banks and charities.
"People are working two, three jobs. There's just no room anymore for life to happen," he said.
Letele, who now works on the front line helping vulnerable communities through Buttabean Motivation (BBM), said a flat tyre or broken down car or the kids needing to see a doctor is enough to send some families over the edge.
"The way we live our lives...if you can help you should," Letele said.
David Letele and six-year-old Nina. Photo: Supplied/ BBM
"Christmas is just a nightmare for so many families," he said.
"It's tough anyway. But then when you're trying to give your kids a nice Christmas or something to unwrap or a meal to wake up to it's really tough."
He said he does not "really like Christmas" because he sees so much pain.
But he channels the blurry memories of being a kid that grew up without anything and the pain he sees now into good.
Just last week, Letele helped a family whose child had missed ten drs appointments because their family car broke down.
His friend gifted them a new car.
"You could see it in the mum's eyes...just the relief. And that's why we do it," he said.
On top of deeds like helping six-year-old Nina and her family, through his organisation he has partnered with the Middlemore Foundation in an effort to raise NZ$80,000 to ease the load for some families.
The team is putting together a Christmas celebration for more than 600 families looking after disabled or sick children at home or in hospital wards.
The kids will get a present and the parents will be given a food hamper to take the load off over the festive season.
"We try and give them the best Christmas we are able to," he said.
"[We gift them] an awesome Christmas hamper that's enough for a week's food plus presents and just a real fun day."
But he said it was not just BBM putting in the hard yards to support their community.
"A lot of other groups are on the ground helping a lot of people," Letele said.
'Love for another'
Middlemore Foundation CEO Margi Mellsop said a "for Pacific by Pacific" approach is important.
On Thursday, there is a special party for all of the kids in the Kidz First Children's Hospital to bring the Christmas cheer to them.
"It's tough, it's just one thing on top of another," Mellsop said.
"But the resilience that these families have, the love that they have for one and another, is just a lesson for us all."
She said it does your heart a lot better to give.
"Do you really need to buy another pair of socks for your granddad or is that money better spent on a kid in need."
She is thankful to all those who have already taken time out of their lives to help others.
Santana and Tyrone deliver gifts to kids at Middlemore Hospital with their son Easton. Photo: Supplied/Middlemore Foundation
One-year-old Easton is one of many giving back.
Mellsop said he and his "gorgeous" parents turned up the other day at the hospital with brand new toys.
"He [Easton] has respiratory illness and has been in and out of hospital 10 times in his short 12 months on this earth," Mellsop said.
"It was just outstanding just to see this gorgeous wee boy and his beautiful mom and dad turn up with these toys and we're forever grateful for people like them and so many others like them," Mellsop said.
On top of young kids like Easton spending Christmas in hospital, there are babies doing it tough.
There are 18 babies who are set to spend Christmas in the NICU unit at Middlemore Hospital in Auckland, give or take with some families holding out hope their gift will be taking their baby home for Christmas.
So all in all, life is far from perfect for many this Christmas, but both Letele and Mellsop say there is still time to make a difference by giving this Christmas.
Baby Zycarrio-Colin, one of many babies in NICU with a new Christmas friend. Photo: Supplied/Middlemore Foundation
