Ten years ago, tired of the "negativity" on social media, Invercargill woman Mary Gilbert launched the Facebook group Southland Random Acts of Kindness.
"The community here in Invercargill is absolutely amazing and they just come through for us," Mary tells Jesse Mulligan.
Mary Gilbert - founder of the Facebook group Southland Random Acts of Kindness Photo: Robyn Edie / Southland Times
The kindness of another Invercargill woman who'd attempted a late-night delivery of baby formula to a rural mum around the same time was another inspiration for creating the group, Mary says.
After her car broke down on the way home, the woman was left stranded and disheartened.
"She sat on the side of the road in her jammies with his little daughter and then she ended up walking to a motel and getting help … She just lost her faith and said she wasn't going to help anybody anymore."
Creating a Facebook group based on kindness was Mary's way of encouraging this samaritan she'd done "an amazing thing".
"Even though the outcome wasn't what she had wanted, she still put her heart forward and helped where she could help. [random acts] sort of generated from there."
Via the Southland Random Acts of Kindness, which has 12,000+ members, locals share requests and offers for practical help in the form of food, clothing and social support.
People have provided food to those in need, clothing to families who've been in house fires and also furniture to people new to town, says Mary, who was Invercargill's Kiwibank Local Hero in 2015.
"Some people come out of like an abusive situation and they don't want to put their name up on Facebook saying 'hey, I need some furniture.' so we do that on their behalf so that they're not getting fingers pointed at them or anything like that.
Initially, the group's posts attracted "trolls" who didn't like being told what they could and couldn't say online, she says.
"Adults didn't like the fact that we had to tell them to use their manners, which they should already know.
"Occasionally we get abuse still, but not as often. And yeah, we've just been able to handle it with my amazing admin team that I've had throughout the years.
"We all stuck together, and we talked about it and we all breathed together. And we got through it."
As far as Facebook groups go, Southland Random Acts of Kindness is "completely positive", she says, and any members that don't meet that standard get their posts deleted very quickly and also get reprimanded by an admin behind the scenes.
"We'll say 'Hey, you know, that wasn't a very nice thing to do' or whatever. We've always remained professional and yet positive."
After Covid, many Southlanders are struggling financially, Mary says, but some simply need a friend.
"I've had people messaging me just to talk because you know they're in a dark place or socially they looking for somebody to meet because they don't know anybody here."
Around Invercargill, there's no shortage of people who recognise the Southland Random Acts of Kindness founder.
"At the start, I couldn't walk through a grocery store or anything without somebody coming out and saying 'Hey, Mary' and I didn't even know these people but of course, they knew me.
"I got to the stage where I just couldn't get shopping done because of too many [people talking to me]. I had to take my profile pic off my Facebook just so I could go off shopping quietly."
