About Us
About Us
Christmas Box is the flagship initiative of LIFE Community. What began 25 years ago with a simple desire — to see struggling families experience the joy of Christmas — has grown into New Zealand’s largest Christmas charity. And while the scale has expanded, the heart behind it remains the same.
Each box is made possible through the power of togetherness: generous donors and sponsors, suppliers who provide pantry staples and festive treats, volunteers who gather at 15 packing locations, and our 536 distribution partners who ensure the boxes reach families that need them most. Every step — from giving, to packing, to delivery — is about bringing help and hope to families in need.
Our Why
Christmas should be a time of joy for every Kiwi family, but for many it’s a time of stress — choosing between presents, bills, or putting food on the table. Christmas Box began 25 years ago by delivering boxes to 40 families in need, born from a simple desire to bring help and hope. Now, we deliver over 35,000 boxes across New Zealand and the Pacific. At its heart, it’s about connecting communities, showing compassion, and proving that Kiwis helping Kiwis can make a lasting difference.
LIFE Community is committed to playing its part when it comes to reversing the cycle of poverty. One of the key ways that we have been able to engage with the community is through our food programmes. Serving our community with respect we have found that it opens pathways and partnerships to other areas such as education, employment and support. Through meeting needs at each of these poverty indicators we believe we can see the cycle broken and lives transformed for generations to come.
Our Why
Our Mission
To reverse the cycle of poverty
To bring help & hope
Our Values
MANA - we serve with respect
WHANAUNGATANGA - we enable through partnership
AKO - we transform by learning
Our Mission
To reverse the cycle of poverty
To bring help & hope
Our Values
MANA - we serve with respect
WHANAUNGATANGA - we enable through partnership
AKO - we transform by learning
Who is LIFE Community?
LIFE Community supports individuals and whānau by meeting immediate needs through food, essential products, and support programs like Community Kitchens, Christmas Box, Life Homes & The Giving Store. They also empower people through education, offering retraining and skills development via their two private training establishments, serving over 800 learners annually.
Our Team
Rebecca So'e
Head of Community Response
Rebecca is of Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa descent. Her passion for community and impacting lives has come from her love for people and lived experience.
Rebecca has a background in hospitality and has owned and operated her own businesses in Central Auckland. Apart from her greatest achievement being her family, Rebecca’s establishment in Westmere featured in the Metro Magazine as one of Auckland’s top People’s Choice Cafes. Over the past decade Rebecca has spent time in the PTE sector as a manager , a community engagement advisor for Foundation North and recently the Head of Community Response.
Along the way Rebecca has educated herself and holds a Grad Dip in Business, Diploma in Adult Education and recently completed a Post Grad Certificate in Community Leadership and is planning further education.
For her, Christmas Box is a key component of all the incredible work LIFE Community does to reverse the cycle of poverty.
Ria Langit
Project Manager
Ria has been part of LIFE for the past 13 years, serving with a passion for people and a commitment to making a positive difference in the lives of others. In 2025, she became involved with Christmas Box and found it an incredibly rewarding experience. Witnessing the impact it has on individuals, families, and communities was truly priceless for her.
Her passion for community service began long before joining LIFE Community. For more than two decades, she has dedicated her time to teaching swimming - helping both children and adults develop a life-saving skill while building confidence and resilience. Seeing people overcome challenges, achieve goals, and grow in their abilities has always been one of the most fulfilling aspects of her work.
Driven by a desire to serve others, create meaningful connections, and contribute to lasting positive change, Ria believes that when people come together with compassion and purpose, they can make a significant difference in the lives of individuals, families, and communities.
Paul Cato
Operations Lead
With over a decade at Christmas Box, Paul is the engine behind our operations - coordinating the packing warehouse, transport, and the complex logistics required to move thousands of food boxes across New Zealand and the Cook Islands. Detail-oriented and analytical, he ensures everything runs smoothly - from baked beans to cookies - with precision and care.
Before joining Christmas Box, Paul spent five years as a missionary in Papua New Guinea, an experience that shaped his deep commitment to community and purpose-driven approach to work.
Outside of logistics, Paul is a career artist and printer—and on any given day (winter or summer), he might be found swimming in New Zealand's beautiful ocean near his home.