Dave Letele and Kidz First Xmas Campaign

With rising living costs, the holiday season poses challenges for many, especially families under the care of Kidz First, Middlemore's children's hospital. Letele, a respected community advocate, is provided extra assistance

Having known Essential Talent's Dave Letele for many years, this guy never surprises me anymore.

His focus, his energy, and his compassion

Dave Letele, a prominent community advocate and motivational speaker, has once again joined forces with the Middlemore Foundation to support the Kidz First Christmas campaign in 2024. This campaign focuses on providing extra support to sick and disabled children and their families in South Auckland, especially considering the challenges posed by the rising cost of living.

The Kidz First Christmas campaign for 2024 aimed to raise over $80,000 to support 600 families in need. This funding was allocated for a special Christmas party, gifts for each child, and a fresh BBM Food Share Pack for each family. The campaign was particularly significant, as it represented the last fundraising drive for the Middlemore Foundation in 2023, which had already provided substantial support to the community throughout the year, including flood relief, funding Health Science scholarships, and vital equipment for Middlemore Hospital and Kidz First​​​​.

More than 250 children with long-term health conditions enjoyed the Kidz First Christmas party, which was made possible by the collaboration between Dave Letele, his organisation BBM, and the Middlemore Foundation. The party was described as a magical event, providing much-needed joy and support to these children and their families during the holiday season. The celebration included dancing with the Sky City dancers, playing with favorite cartoon characters, enjoying real fruit ice cream, meeting Father Christmas, and, most importantly, being the stars of their own Christmas party​​​​.

One of the children benefiting from the Kidz First initiative is Nina Grace, a 6-year-old who has faced multiple surgeries due to congenital anomalies. She, like many others, enjoyed last year's Christmas party, which featured activities like face painting, meeting Santa, and playing with other children​​.

Thanks Dave once again for your super powers! Essential Talent is so proud of you