They're travelling our country hiding little "blessings" in the form of $50 notes, all while keeping their identities a secret. Meet the sibling duo behind Hidden Blessings.
“We just want to make sure we can help communities that need it.”
We will call him HB Brother. He has a name, but he would rather it be a secret.
HB Brother and his co-founder have turned an idea into a rocketing social media movement in the past five weeks. All because of one chance encounter with a man in need of food.
“I met a guy outside KFC and bought him some chicken. He was living in his car with his partner at the time, and it was such a small act, but when I gave him that, he lit up and it got me thinking.”
He thought: "How can I spread kindness?"
After looking at similar initiatives online, he called his social media-savvy sister, and the pair created Hidden Blessings.
The concept was simple — record a short video as they hid $50 notes in communities across New Zealand and let people find them.
A small message
Each $50 note is paired with a small message. It’s hand-laminated by HB Brother and wrapped in a small cellophane envelope.
It reads: "This hidden treasure is our gift to you. If this find brightens your day, enjoy it. If you don’t need it, we ask you to pay it forward to someone who does."
After the spot has been chosen, HB Sister will quickly edit a short video showing exactly where it is. Then it’s posted.
Finding the perfect spot takes more effort than you’d expect. The pair often scout areas first or use family and friends to reach other areas of New Zealand.
“Then we are really looking for a place we can get to unannounced. Anonymity is really important to us.”
In an age of social media stardom where “poverty porn” is rife, the Hidden Blessings siblings are devout on their mission to stay out of the limelight.
“We want it to be about the movement and the community instead of ourselves. We want Hidden Blessings to get the exposure, not us.”
While filming for Seven Sharp, they decided to wear masks – a bizarre visual tactic but one that speaks to the lengths they are willing to go to to make it about "the movement".
Place, post, and disappear
The pair don’t even wait to watch the people roll in. Instead, they place, post, and disappear.
“It can take anywhere between five to 10 minutes. We have had a few that are found quite fast but roughly on average 10 minutes,” said HB Sister.
The first to arrive was a couple who had been just around the corner when the video reached them.
“I’ve just seen it on Facebook. Mean score. I need gas.” said the lucky blessing receiver.
They ask the finder to send them a message quickly to confirm it has been claimed, and they then share that with their other followers.
As lucky as some are to be the first, plenty more turn up that little bit late and are disappointed.
Messages of gratitude
Still, the messages from those that are successful keep them going.
“I heard from a guy who had run out of petrol in Māngere. He stumbled across our video, allowing us to fill his car.
“Another lady in Otara had seen our video and had no money for food. She diverted straight to our location and used all of the fifty dollars to go straight to Pak’nSave to buy food.”
Ask them how much they have given away, and they get sheepish.
They don’t want to count because that would mean they’d have to figure out exactly how much money they’ve hidden across New Zealand.
It’s easy to jump to conclusions about a movement like this. They must be loaded. They must have too much money, right?
Without giving too much away, they’re both young, both are renters, and both are trying to build their careers. They’re quick to admit that there are things they could use this money for.
They are even quicker to admit that the money will run out, but they hope it will outgrow them.
“For me, the dream would be for this to be self-sustainable through others jumping on and giving support.
"I would love it to get to the point where we manage the process and help others do the same thing throughout New Zealand.”
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