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Official Give-a-Little Page: Whitehall St House Fire, Mairehau, Christchurch 15.5.26 - Family Lost Everything! :'(

$37,202 donated
Given by 822 generous donors in 14 hours

Help Shiree rebuild after a fire claimed her home & two loved ones. Please donate to help this CHCH family with funeral & living costs.

Christchurch, Canterbury

On May 14, 2026, a devastating house fire took everything from Shiree. Far worse than the loss of her possessions is the heartbreaking passing of two precious lives—her child and her grandchild.

Shiree is the rock of our family, always putting others first. Even in this fog of grief, she is caring for two of her remaining grandchildren who have lost their mother. However, the path ahead is daunting. Shiree is on a pension, and was uninsured. She has walked away with nothing but the clothes on her back.

Beyond rebuilding from scratch, she now faces the weight of organizing two funerals. On a fixed income, Shiree simply does not have the resources to cover these sudden, massive costs.

How You Can Help...

The most practical way to support her is by easing this financial burden so she can focus on her family. Every dollar donated goes directly to Shiree to help with:

Funeral and headstone costs for her child and grandchild.

Essential items for the children in her care (beds, clothes, toys).

Securing a new home and rebuilding their lives.

Shiree is usually the one helping others; now, it’s our turn to wrap around her. Thank you for your kindness, prayers, and support.

If you are not in a position to donate, please share this link to help our Christchurch community reach those who can.

Nancy Howe's involvement (page creator)

I am a family member of Shiree, writing this on behalf of our extended family to support her during this unimaginable time.

Use of funds

The funds will initially go towards the funerals. Remaining donations will go toward essential furniture and a trust for the grandchildren’s future, ensuring they have ongoing stability and support as they grow up in Shiree's care.

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Latest update

Thank you ♥️  16 May 2026

On behalf of Shiree, thank you so much for your generosity. A lot of people have been asking about physical donations but as they don't have their own home yet, this is difficult to coordinate. I ask if you are wanting to donate to the Methodist Mission, they will be arranging some items that this family immediately needs.

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2% Effective Fee
On average, fundraisers pay just 2% to use Givealittle. This is one of the lowest effective fees in New Zealand fundraising. We charge a 5% platform fee to cover the cost of running the platform. Because most donors choose to top up their donation to cover this fee, the effective cost paid by fundraisers is about 2%. That means around 98 cents of every dollar raised goes to the cause. Learn More

Latest donations

Wendy
Wendy 3 mins ago
$50
Patrick
Patrick 4 mins ago
Praying for all your family at this tragic time
$50
Guest Donor
Guest Donor 4 mins ago
$100
Guest Donor
Guest Donor 5 mins ago
Private
Guest Donor
Guest Donor 6 mins ago
Kia Kahara e te whanau
$100

Who's involved?

Nancy Howe's avatar
Created by Nancy Howe
Shiree Couch's avatar
Paying to a verified bank account of Shiree Couch

Any concerns?

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This campaign started on 15 May 2026 and ends on 15 May 2027.