Social media helping those in need

Social media helping those in need

by Jessica McAllen
June 13, 2013

A social media site created by a Whangarei mother to find clothes for her cold children has garnered more than three thousand members in five weeks.

Stephenie Williams who has two children under eight started the page after a trademe purchase proved to be disappointing.

She says a request for children’s clothing on her personal facebook page returned a wardrobe load of garments in quarter of an hour.

“I was amazed by the generosity of people who quickly offered their old clothing,” she says.

And so the part-time counselling student created Pay it Forward- a group where users can offer unused items or ask for help.

“There is obviously a real need for something like this,” she says, “people are really struggling and the government is not helping those worse hit by poverty, so we are helping each other,” says Ms Williams.

The donations vary, from dresses, to cans of soup to lessons in how to sew.

Mother-of-four, Joy Hiki Rogers, describes the page as a blessing.

She was recently gifted some carpet on Pay it Forward and is full of praise for the initiative.

“The complete downstairs of my house is lino and concrete and it is very cold. I had to put blankets on the floor,” she says.

“Since receiving the carpet it has been a lot warmer and my kids can play on it.”

Ms Rogers has also been the recipient of food and clothes from people on Pay it Forward.

Despite not having much she tries to donate when possible and has gifted food to people who have asked for it.

“Although I didn’t have much I still managed to give, as I know what it is like to have nothing.”

Although the page relies on the good-nature of its members there have been some pitfalls, such as the ex-member who asked for fire wood and then sold it.

“That is all sorts of wrong,” says Ms Williams, “that firewood could have kept another family warm.”

Ms Williams says she doesn’t usually come down too hard while monitoring the page.

“What I know about poverty is that if you are willing to go to all that trouble to get some money by deceiving people then you are clearly in need,” she says.

Poverty is a big issue in New Zealand, according to associate professor of counselling, human services and social work at Auckland University, Mike O’Brien.

Mr O’Brien wrote a book on poverty in New Zealand in 2008.

“It is not the same as the poverty in third world countries but that does not mean it is not real,” he says.

He says while gifting is a good way to perform direct action the government needs to step in to help the vulnerable.

“This means tackling issues such as the extent of inequality, improving benefits, removing the discrimination of the tax credit system, improving health, housing, education and jobs.”

University of Auckland student, Stacey Henderson, has donated five jumpers to the group and lent out ball dresses for the upcoming ball season.

Ms Henderson says part of the appeal of Pay it Forward is that there is no shame.

“People are treated with respect and are able to ask for and accept help while keeping their dignity.”

Another group harnessing the internet to save unused items is freecycle.org.

It is a worldwide initiative focused on saving wastage and has 9,394,898 members.

The New Zealand branch of the site has risen by ten thousand members since last year, from 18,000 to over 29,000.

A lead moderator for the Auckland area of the group, Gordon Stewart, says every country should have an outlet for items they don’t want.

“In the last few decades we have become more consumer orientated,” says Mr Stewart.

“We have gotten into the habit of throwing away what we think are unusable items.”

He thinks the internet is an ideal platform for people to give away items they no longer want or need.

“To some people throwing things away seems like the obvious thing to do,” he says.

“But you never know, a kindergarten might want bubble wrap for an art project.”

The group is focused on the environmental benefits of giving away unused items.

“Throwing things away pollutes our landscapes and unnecessarily fills up our landfills,” says Mr Stewart.

ITEMS DONATED ON PAY IT FORWARD:

Clothing, frying pans, gas heaters, electric blankets, beds and mattresses, duvets, plates, books, tables, tree seeds, toys, shoes scarves, gold fish, baking, perfume, TV, strollers, fishing lessons, make-up, cook books, vacuum cleaners, CV makeovers, slippers, teddy bears and more.

ENDS

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