BETWEEN July 1 and 18, you may see a Taylor Motors Toyota Hilux with an image of Rev Peter Cook OAM painted on the side and parked out the front of one of Hamilton’s four supermarkets.

The vehicle is promoting a winter initiative and serving as a prompt for shoppers to consider donating some non-perishable food items, baby products or toiletries for those less fortunate at this time of year.

Donated items can be placed into designated trolleys to be used to make up hampers to be distributed to those in need over the winter months.

Rev Cook is the face of the initiative and said it was about making a difference in the community.

He said everything in the media was about the cost-of-living crisis, so the Christmas in July project was timely.

“We had Cookie’s Charity Run back in November (2023) and the original idea was to support families and individuals at Christmas time,” Rev Cook said.

“When I thought about it - I realised there was already a lot happening at Christmas and thought it would be better if it could be spread out throughout the year.

“The (Cookie’s Christmas in July) idea would mean that families and individuals got support, not just at Christmas but throughout the year as well.

“Then Taylor Motors got in touch and majorly got behind the idea.”

Rev Cook said mostly the items would go into Christmas in July hampers to be distributed on July 25.

“There is some flexibility there,” he said.

“The main thing is the items will go into hampers - they will then be distributed on the combined recommendations of Vinnies, the Salvation Army and The Argyle Shop and the Uniting Church through second bite.”

Rev Cook said the local organisations would work together to create a list of families or individuals in need.

“We will collate a list, and it is also open to people to perhaps nominate a family or an individual who needs a bit of help,” he said.

The initiative comes as St Vincent de Paul’s Society released a report that found Australia faces a mountain of future challenges, which finds one-in-six children are already living in poverty.

St Vincent de Paul Society’s national president, Mark Gaetani said “child poverty is a social minefield that affects families, the many support services provided by governments and not-for-profits, and the nation’s budgetary bottom line because the knock-on costs are stupendous”.

“As this report notes, poverty has long-lasting and insidious impacts on a child’s health and well-being and can affect their schooling and employment opportunities throughout their entire lifetime,” he said.

Rev Cook acknowledged that there was a myriad of ways people were struggling.

“The whole thing is we have a wide range of life circumstances across our community,” he said.

“It’s about squaring the books so that those that are perhaps struggling a bit, get help (while) it’s also open to people who want to make a contribution and can do so along the way.”

Taylor Motors director, Renee Ferguson said this time of year can be financially challenging for families.

“Peter had an idea to do hampers for Christmas in July,” she said.

“They get a lot at Christmas time (but) this time of year can (also) be particularly tough.

“We said we’d volunteer and help him collect.

“He’s a great man in the community and we’ve got staff that are donating time and we’ve got a ute that we’ve sign written for him to help with collection of food and he’ll be distributing that through the churches and the appropriate distributors.

“Peter is a good man - he does so much good for the community - he knows what we need on the ground level.

“We’re just offering a lending hand - the supermarkets have been great - all the supermarkets have put their hand up to help.”

Items that can be donated include, UHT long-life milk, rice, pasta, noodles, flour, tinned tomatoes, tinned vegetables, breakfast cereals, spreads, jam, peanut butter, snacks, toiletries, soap, shampoo, conditioner, baby products, food, wet wipes and bathroom laundry products like toilet paper and washing powder.

Supermarket times for Cookie’s Hilux are as follows:

Woolworths - Friday July 5, from 4-5.30pm, IGA - Saturday July 6, 10am-12pm, Coles - Friday July 12, 4-5.30pm and Aldi - Saturday July 13, 10am-12pm.

Items to donate can be placed in the designated shopping trolleys at the supermarkets at any time between July 1 and 18 and also at The Argyle Shop during opening hours, Tuesday-Friday 10am-4pm, or Saturday 10am-4pm.

“Any business can get on board if they’ve got things to donate,” Ms Ferguson said.

“It’s all for a good cause.”