Hungry and poor? That’s a job for SOS Moms

When Karen Miller’s daughter rang her up complaining about how cold and sick she was at university in Dunedin, a care package was the first thing Miller thought of.

But after looking at how time-consuming and expensive they are to post, an idea hit her. SOS Moms was born.

SOS Moms is a website selling custom and pre-made care packages available to send across New Zealand.

Miller previously worked in IT and project management, while her daughter, Vanessa, studies marketing at Otago University.

The two put their minds together to launch SOS Moms, which will soon celebrate its first year.

Vanessa noticed how many other students at her hostel were also receiving care packages.

“Students can smell a care package three blocks away, especially the boys who seem to mostly get forgotten,” she says.

After doing some ‘market research” by looking at what others were receiving, she started creating the packages.

The packages range from food and cleaning products, to medicine and exam study packs. There are also special packages depending on whether the recipient is male or female.

The idea was intended for parents to send the packages to their children studying in different parts of New Zealand. However, Miller says there has also been large overseas interest, especially from parents of international students.

“We have a mother in China that has two sons studying in New Zealand, and another one studying next year. It works out much cheaper for her to order a package online and get it sent to her children rather than buy and send it all herself.”

Miller says today’s mothers want their children to have home comforts, but for busy parents it’s too hard.

“Mums are really busy and just coming up with what to put in a care pack takes time let alone running all round town to put it together.

“That’s why the internet is such a bonus. Parents can order one in a few minutes at their desk at work and know it will get to their kids within a couple of days.”

The Millers say the business is growing “day by day” and the website had huge amounts of hits when Sunday Star Times Sunday magazine listed them in their “going up” section earlier this year.