Dicker Data NZ digs deep for Auckland City Mission

Dicker Data New Zealand's team have been getting into the real spirit of Christmas, with employees providing a bumper donation of food and gifts this week for the Auckland City Mission.

Melissa Daly, Dicker Data New Zealand reception/admin, says the annual charity collection is popular with Dicker Data's Kiwi staff who support the cause generously.

Daly has been organising the donations for eight years, after taking over from the previous organiser.

She says the first year she co-organised the collection with the previous organiser, the company contributed three boxes of goods and dropped them off at the Auckland City Mission.

"I was blown away by the amount of volunteers and the whole establishment. It was such a well run organisation.

Since then, the annual charity drive has become a passion for Daly.

"I feel quite passionate about it, and the same with everyone else here. Each year there is such a phenomenal contribution," she says.

"You just need someone to organise it, because there are people who want to give.

Dicker Data's collection is based around themes and runs for four weeks, with staff encouraged to give what they can.

The first week is for offerings of cans and jars, followed by a week of collections of packets, one of sweets and the final week of gifts.

This year is the first the company has collected gifts, with offerings including games, water pistols, soft toys, colouring pencils and felt pens through to ornaments for adults.

"We've always had great support throughout the company," Daly says, noting that many staff contribute multiple offerings.

"We have lots of people bringing in bags – not just one item, but people shopping up a storm and bringing in $20 worth of stuff.

While the Auckland City Mission collection is employee focused, Dicker Data New Zealand also has a strong corporate donation tradition, supporting the Westpac Rescue Run and Cure Kids, where the company matches staff donations.

The company also donates to the Burns Fund and Rotary.