After two Hawke’s Bay mums saw how Cyclone Gabrielle was mentally impacting not only their own children but most of the children in Hawke’s Bay, they knew they wanted to come up with something that would help kids feel somewhat safe again.

Hena Thorn and Jenna Mabey decided to start up the Hawke’s Bay Kids Grab & Go Bags drive, with the main mission being to equip flood-affected and underprivileged children with emergency “grab and go bags” to provide a sense of comfort as well as feel prepared for future weather events.

A “grab and go” bag is a small backpack with essential items you can easily grab if you’re evacuated from your home due to an emergency, such as an extreme weather event like the cyclone, explained Thorn.

“Hawke’s Bay Kids Grab & Go Bags was started by two mothers who were concerned for the mental health of our children and their anxiety around weather changes since the cyclone.”

Thorn further explained that the limited education on how to be prepared as well as the cost involved to do so was a big push for her and Mabey to start the drive.

Jenna Mabey (left) with son Ryder Jones, 5, and Hena Thorn with son Parker Reed, 5. Packing bags for the Hawke’s Bay Kids Grab & Go Bags. Photo / Paul Taylor

The Kids Grab & Go Bags donation drive is a coordinated effort to have every item including the bag itself donated so there is no cost barrier involved to the families who need them.

So far Thorn and Mabey have fulfilled 200 bags ordered from families, kohanga reo and community groups through both product and cash donations.

“Our goal is 1000 bags to Hawke’s Bay children over the next six weeks, or as we are able around fulltime work and family commitments,” Thorn said.

There are two ways people can help Kids Grab & Go Bags towards the 1000-bag goal.

Product donation - from a list of specific items that will be included in each bag donated to Hawke’s Bay children.

List of things needed for grab and go bags:

• School sized backpacks
• Basic fleece blankets
• First aid kits
• Small torches with batteries
• Children and adult-sized rain ponchos
• Fidget toys/packs of cards/activity books/notebooks and pens
• Sealed bottles of water
• Muesli bars / hard-boiled lollies/ snacks

You can also sponsor a bag - $50 will sponsor a bag for a child and the team will do the shopping, or a cash donation of any amount big or small is welcome.

While Thorn and Mabey have been putting in the hard work, they said the support and generosity they have been receiving from companies and individuals has been amazing.

Hawke’s Bay-based company Kiwi Garden has donated nutritious snacks and New Zealand publishers Wildling Books and illustrated publishing have also donated to the Kids Grab & Go Bags.

The support from The Kindness Collective and other hubs has been a big help for the donation drive with the go bag initiative receiving support from near and far.

To keep the Kids Grab & Go Bags bags going, Thorn and Mabey are calling out for more help with donations.

“Currently, the requests for bags are truly exceeding the amount of donations we have,” Thorn said.

If you can donate items and would like to know our drop-off points or make a cash contribution please visit the Hawke’s Bay Kids Grab & Go Bags Facebook page or get in touch with Thorn via her email. [email protected].

You can sponsor a bag or donate money online at:

Bank: ANZ

Account name: Grab & Go

Account number: 06-0701-0381221-06

This is a Public Interest Journalism funded role through NZ On Air