New Initiative Donates $1 Million to Charities

A new initiative which allowed public votes to decide which charities receive funding has donated $1million to 30 different causes.

With 200,000 public votes received in under a month, a range of charities will now be able to help those living in poverty as well as a range of health, cultural and other projects.

The million dollar grant was generated by ‘The Trusts’ which operate liquor stores and hospitality venues in West Auckland. Formed in 1972, it is the largest of 19 entities of its kind in NZ and is tasked with reinvesting profits from the sale of alcohol back into community programmes, grants and sponsorships.

Simon Wickham CEO of The Trusts says it was incredibly rewarding to be able to help so many worthy causes.

“Thousands of people in need are going to benefit from this money as charities use it to implement programmes for the benefit of their community.

“We are proud to be able to provide assistance to these groups and the people they support, with more than half of those organisations who submitted funding targets achieving 100 percent of their goal,” he says.

Wickham says the causes were chosen by a judging panel including Dai Henwood, Sir Bob Harvey and Linda Vagana who selected 30 finalists from over 130 applicants.

Some of the funding will go to charities such as Kidscan  which will use the money to create an orchard to help feed thousands of children with fresh fruit, and the Well Foundation whose funds will also go to a mobile dental service for those living in poverty and equipment for a programme at Leataata O Tupulaga Preschool which aims to reduce the levels of obesity in preschool children and their parents.

The 30 charities which received donations include: Piha Surf Life Saving Club, Netball Waitakere, Zeal Education Trust, Family Action, The Order of St John Northern Region Trust Board, Kelston Girls College, Bay Olympic Soccer Club, Big Buddy Mentoring Trust, KidsCan Charitable Trust, The Parenting Place, Karekare Surf Lifesaving Club, Well Foundation, Auckland Swimming Association, West Auckland Hospice, YMCA of Auckland, Te Atatu Rugby League, Bay Roskill Sports Club, Titirangi Badminton Club, Massey Athletic Club, Massey Matters, Waitakere Badminton Association, Corban Estate Arts Centre, Waitakere College, French Bay Yacht Club, Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust, Auckland Sexual Abuse HELP Foundation, Matuku Reserve Trust, Save Cornwallis Old Wharf (SCOW), Leataata O Tupulaga Preschool, Community Waitakere Charitable Trust for He Tohu Aroha.