The Foster Hope charity supporting children placed in foster care has a Tauranga branch after Tauranga woman Katrina Bain heard about the cause and decided to get involved.

Tauranga woman Katrina Bain has opened a Tauranga branch of the Foster Hope charity.

'After hearing about it on Facebook I contacted them and asked how I could help, and they told me they needed a branch in this area – so I'm it,” says Katrina.

'As a single mother I feel it's really important to give back to the community while I am being supported by those in it – I am on the DPB although I also work part-time.”

Katrina says thousands of New Zealand children are put into foster care each year, with many arriving at their new homes in the middle of the night with nothing but the clothes on their backs.

It is for this reason the charity runs an annual Pyjama Drive, in which it aims to collect 1000 pairs of pyjamas from branches in Auckland, Tauranga, Wellington and Christchurch to give to foster children and adolescents.

Katrina says she finds it hard to imagine the plight of so many poor young New Zealanders.

'I can't imagine spending a winter's night without the benefit of a warm pair of pyjamas to snuggle in to. Many of the children in foster care have never owned their own pyjamas, and especially not a new pair.

'Providing children in foster care with a new pair of pyjamas helps put a smile on their face and warm their nights.”

About 5000 children live in foster homes at any one time in New Zealand, and many children who need a family have experienced some degree of physical, emotional or sexual abuse and neglect.

Foster Hope was set up in 2010 in Auckland to provide children going into foster care with basics such as clothing, underwear, nappies, toothpaste and shampoo.

Foster Hope chairperson Louise Allnut says many foster children arrive with no belongings due to the speed with which they leave their homes, with those with belongings often bringing them in rubbish sacks.

'We set up Foster Hope because we want these children to know that someone cares. No child should be made to feel like their belongings are rubbish and caregivers should be able to focus on the emotional needs of a child, rather than having to run around doing last minute shopping.”

Visit http://www.fosterhope.co.nz/Foster-Hope-Pyjama-Drive/ or email Katrina at [email protected] for more information.