After reading a story in The Star about the work of the Dunedin Bedding Bank, Kelley Gardner donated $10,000 to the charity to help buy a car to support the work of founder Janine Walker.
Time spent in the cold of Central Otago and memories of her late husband, Dr Mac Gardner, who died about two months ago, helped inspire the gift.
"A remarkable man, eccentric, absent-minded professor.
"I had been married to him a long, long time and his eccentricity was part of his charm."
The family had a tiny cabin in Central Otago.
"When I say tiny, three metres by three and a half metres, tiny, no heating, electricity, nothing."
The family used to gather there in any season, even in winter, Mrs Gardner said.
"Because it was so cold, he bought up every woollen blanket he could find on TradeMe to keep everybody warm, plus hot water bottles."
The family sold the cabin last year, but the blankets and bottles remained.
When Mrs Gardner read the article in The Star, she thought: "Bingo, here is the place that will take my 20 woollen blankets and hot water bottles".
Noticing the group was also fundraising for a vehicle, she decided to give enough to allow a car to be bought.
Still grieving for her husband, she felt this was a small way she could honour him by doing something good for others.
She was struck by the down-to-earth nature of Dunedin Bedding Bank founder Janine Walker.
"Somebody that can really relate to them ... she doesn’t put on airs.
"I thought, thank God somebody is helping these people. Good on her."
Mrs Gardner grew up in the United States and moved to New Zealand in the 1970s.
"I was born poor in America."
She recalled her family receiving boxes of food from a local church every weekend.
"We didn’t have enough to eat and I have not forgotten that.
"Now that I am not poor, I feel it is my obligation to help those who are needy."
Dunedin Bedding Bank administrator Alysha Gibbs said they were shocked when they saw the large donation.
"I might have sworn a little bit.
"It is such a weight taken off our shoulders."
The donation not only means the charity can buy a decent car, it also allows it to cover expenses such as warrant of fitness, registration, insurance and maintenance.
The charity will spend time during December considering the best options for a vehicle, Ms Gibbs said.
She thanked everyone who had donated for the car.
"Thank you for the support.
"I don’t even have words to say thanks for the people that donated because without community support, we can’t do anything.
"Every person that donated, whether it was $5 or $10,000, it all adds up to help to be able to get the vehicle to support Janine and then in turn to support the charity."
