What charities need the most for Christmas this year

The cost of living crisis has only exacerbated demand for charities running on the smell of an oily rag, and donors tightening their belts are making things harder.

For those fortunate enough to have the means to give this Christmas, it can be a bit daunting to know where to start, or to know what is most in need - be it food, time, or cash.

RNZ asked some of the country's charities what they need the most in the final countdown to the big day.

The City Missions

Three of the country's biggest and oldest charities together help serve thousands of people in need all year round.

Wellington City Mission wants people to buy tickets to an event no one will show up to.

The Silent Night hopes to sell-out Sky Stadium on the 21st, but the doors will remain locked and 100 percent of sales go straight to the City Mission.

That money will go straight to helping fund all those last-minute festive items when demand peaks for food hampers and gifts, as well as the essentials.

"This time of year, the best thing people can do to support us is to support us financially, then we can purchase the things we need," Murray Edridge said.

But, Edridge has hinted at a surprise awaiting for ticket-holders for the big day.

"There will be something that happens and people will be made aware of that in due course," he says.

Meanwhile, Auckland City Mission is expecting 400 people to join them for Christmas meals and a donation as little as $12 can help feed them.

"It stretches a long way - not only in terms of the food, but also acknowledging that everyone deserves to have a good meal and good company on Christmas," general manager of health and social service Jacqui Dillon says.

Other options include gifting a complete food parcel with Christmas meal ingredients for a family in need, at $138.

For the Christchurch City Mission, a simple bank transfer is best so its volunteers can stock up on essential supermarket items both over the next week, but importantly for the new year.

They are organising almost 2000 food parcels for the Christmas period, but demand is still very high in January.

"[Donating money] allows us to use that money wisely and at our discretion. In November we had to buy in food, in December we've had to buy in food, I know in January we'll be doing the same."

The Christmas Joy Store

The country's first social toy store, by the Kindness Collective, is providing toys for an estimated 10,000 kids who otherwise would not have anything to unwrap on the big day.

Founder Sarah Page wants to keep the shelves stocked in the lead up.

"If people can donate toys and financial donations in the next few days so we can keep going, that would be great," Page says.

The collective makes a couple of trips a day to buy toys with that money.

Page says she met a woman who had received a petrol voucher to travel up to the Auckland store so she could get gifts for her kids.

"I've got a waitlist of maybe 500 families at the moment and we're getting through people as quickly as we can but every time we accept more families we get more social workers referring," Page says.

You can still get in some late donations of new toys if you are in the Auckland area, either to Westfield St Lukes or at the Christmas Joy Store in Mt Eden.

Or, you could chuck them a donation online to get the gifts themselves.

Women's Refuge

Women's Refuge chief executive, Dr Ang Jury, says donating a safe night for women and children experiencing family violence is a great way to help an increasing demand.

There is usually a spike in demand for safe accommodation in the days leading up to New Year's Day and early January, Dr Jury says.

"The other way of course is to hook up with your local refuge and just say 'what is it that you need this year?' Because some will have had excellent meat donations for example, but they might lack in some other areas so it's a matter of asking I think."

Te Whare Tiaki Wāhine Refuge in Porirua would like some creative thinking for gifts for teenagers this Christmas, who currently miss out on age-appropriate presents.

Practice team lead Vanessa Leitch says short-term accommodation in safe houses is also a high-need.

Supermarket vouchers in lieu of donated pantry items are a great way to help, Leitch says.

"Then the family get to decide what food they eat, because there's so many different dietary requirements coming in and out of our safe houses right now."

Donations can be made to the refuge directly.

The Salvation Army

"To cut a long story short - we need your money," says Salvation Army's Major Alister Irwin.

Gifts that provide hope and opportunity to change life are the focus for this year's annual Christmas appeal.

Items include gifts, food support, counselling, financial mentoring and accommodation support. Irwin says it is especially important to remember that January is "a real pinch point" for many people as well.

With the big day edging closer, the Salvation Army is wanting donations to help with that all important support that is only just around the corner after Christmas.

The Aunties

The Aunties provide intensive pastoral care for 27 women healing from domestic violence and provide guidance for 1000 other people a year experiencing forms of family violence.

Jackie Clark, the aunty in charge, says these women have experienced extreme violence and it is hard to put into words just how much of a difference their services make for these women.

They have Christmas fairies gifting these women and their children with presents as well as helping them out for things like vehicle upkeep - something Clark says is a vital sense of freedom and independence.

"They're always on the back foot, you know? Just having us in their lives takes those worries away from them," Clark says.

Things have already been tight this year, and Clarke says they have had to cut back on some of the help they give and so they are wanting help chipping in for presents.

Sunday Blessings Tāmaki Makaurau

For the last four-and-a-half years, Sunday Blessings has been helping those experiencing homelessness and food and clothing poverty in the super city.

They are running a food and gift service this Christmas and its co-founder, Danielle LeGallais, says they are a bit short on cooked hams for those wanting to donate closer to the big day.

Clothing is also much-appreciated, particularly summer men's and women's clothing and items like lavalava or sarong, backpacks, socks and shoes.

Items can be dropped off the Ellen Melville centre between 10am - 4pm until 23 December. More information is available on the website.