Local voters in South Auckland have determined what needs will be addressed in their community with Z Energy’s Good in the Hood funding – and those supporting the needs of children and their families in our community often came up on top.
The community funding programme is awarding more than a million dollars this June to around 800 Kiwi groups doing good for people or the environment in the area around every Z service station.
During May customers voted for how $68,000 in funding should be split between the 50 local groups supported at Z stations in South Auckland. Voting has now closed and cheques will be presented to the groups on Friday 23rd at Totara Hospice.
In South Auckland, many of the basic needs of children aren’t being met and Good in the Hood funding has a significant impact trying to help local community groups to try to meet these needs. Stand Children’s Services Auckland with their camp based in Pakuranga
Middlemore Foundation and Kidz First
Middlemore Foundation representative David Kemeys is driving a project to redevelop Kidz First’s Emergency Department, now 17 years old.
“Things have changed a lot in that time, not least because there are way more young people coming through the doors, so we need to make sure we have the best possible facilities for them.
“We’ve had support before that’s allowed us to get apnoea monitors for new mothers, and laser equipment for plastic surgeons, and those things change lives.
“But this year four Kennerley Retail Investments Z stations, Botany, Harris Rd, Manurewa and Wiri Station Rd, all backed Kidz First with money for our short-stay rooms. That kind of community support is vital to us, and to the children of the area.”
He visited all the stations during Good in the Hood encouraging voters to support Kidz First.
“Customers talked about positive experiences at Kidz First with their own children, so we were chuffed to have their votes.”
And Middlemore has had hands-on Good in the Hood support too. “Quite a few of Kennerley Retail Investments Z staff have been to the Spinal Unit helping in the gardens, they’ve wrapped Christmas presents for children, and there was a big crew volunteering at Fun Fest in Manukau this year,” he said.
“They’re better at petrol and coffee than weeding to be fair, but they are fun to have around. Good in the Hood has been great because it’s not just the cash, it’s the contact with good people.”
Stand for Children Services
Stand Children’s Services is a charity that provides specialist social services including therapeutic care and education to children ages 5 to 12. The organisation originally known as Children’s Health Camps was founded over 90 years ago. Our programme includes home and school based services, therapeutic care and education services for children and families, children and family mentoring, and respite services for caregivers including grandparents and foster parents
The daily focus of Stand Children’s Services – Auckland is to protect children from further trauma, support their recovery and enhance their well-being. Our social workers and teachers work with the most vulnerable children and are deeply committed to being child-centred, family respectful, trauma aware, solution focused and culturally competent in all they do.
“Our partnership with, and support from Z Good in the Hood, assists our team to deliver targeted and appropriate services to children and families in the South Auckland area. This support enables us to provide real experiences, learning opportunities and hope to children” said Pene Frost, Regional Manager.
OKE Foundation
South Auckland Christian Food Bank
Ian Foster from South Auckland Christian Food Bank sees families on a daily basis coming to them with insufficient funds to be able to buy food to feed themselves and their children with the impact for the family being devastating.
The support of Good in the Hood funding enables them to offer families to have their immediate needs of food to be met by the foodbank. The SACFB also provides budgeting intervention which is a key and important step that is needed to help turn the dire situation into one of hope. As such it is a requirement to getting food parcel support from the foodbank.
The final step to helping families is a Financial Education Programme that educates and empowers families to make good decisions which ultimately aims to make them financially independent and not reliant on food banks.
Kennerley Retail Investments has for many years provided us with food and other goods and the community service they offer has seen staff here helping at our dinners. This, along with Good in the Hood helps so many families and their children and is a wonderful initiative impacting many lives.
