Gifts

A tailored men-only programme run by Taranaki Women’s Refuge to help men make positive changes about how they think, feel and behave in a relationship has received support from Te Karaka Foundation. David Younger “Projects to strengthen families are well supported by our generous donors and we were impressed by the positive outcomes this programme is achieving,” says Te Karaka Foundation Chair Ken Horner. Into its fourth year, ASPIRE began as a pilot programme, and now runs 20 hours a week from the Taranaki Women’s Refuge community office. The programme is free, voluntary…continue reading →

Two local philanthropists are laying down the gauntlet to other generous people and organisations to help make Taranaki’s inaugural Club R & R, a fun family camp for children with disabilities and their families, an annual event.  “It was a dream being able to have a custom-designed camp for our children with disabilities and their siblings, who often miss out too,” says Conductive Education’s Craig Nielsen and father to Zak who got his first taste of an outdoor camp. The vision for the camp came from one of Te Karaka Foundation’s generous donors,…continue reading →

Through a grant from Te Karaka Foundation to help purchase telescope and camera equipment, one donor has made dreams come true for a young New Plymouth man with partial paralysis, vision loss and epilepsy due to a stroke in utero. “We had a significant shortfall from our fundraising and I thought Chad wasn’t going to be able to realise his dream and then Te Karaka stepped in,” says Mum Sandy Campbell. “My life has been on hold and now it feels like it is just starting,” says 18-year-old Chad Campbell who recently received…continue reading →

CCS Disability Action Taranaki has earmarked recent funding received from the Te Karaka Foundation to help some of their young clients from central and south Taranaki transition from school to work or further education. “Every year we have two to three students who need help developing an action plan to bridge the gap between school and employment and the support to put it in place,” says CCS Disability Action Taranaki Service Manager Alison Goldby. Assistance ranges from helping set up work experience placements to job hunting support to travel and logistics. “Our major…continue reading →

A scholarship from Te Karaka Foundation for eight-year-old Dylan Bates to attend MindPlus one day a week is helping him to learn why he thinks the way the does and indulge his special interests, currently computer programming. “One of my hesitations abut Dylan attending MindPlus was the cost, so this scholarship from Te Karaka eases that stress and I am very grateful,” says Dylan’s Mum Sonya Bates. “One of our generous donors has a history in education and a passion for helping Taranaki young people fulfil their potential. With our help she has…continue reading →

Home schooling Mum Hester Mills knows the value of the Taranaki Toy Library for her family. “With four children at home, including my nine-year-old son Issac who is developmentally delayed, access to a variety of toys for all types of play and ability is crucial,” says Hester Mills. Thanks to a recent gift from the Tindall Foundation, the Taranaki Toy Library can continue supporting families like the Mills’. “The Tindall Foundation grant enables us to do more for our members and accommodate everyone’s unique circumstances,” says Taranaki Toy Library Administrator Jana Dunnet. Responsibility…continue reading →

Walking unaided is now a realistic goal for three-year-old Ryan Griffin from Hawera thanks to attending weekly one-on-one Conductive Education classes in New Plymouth. “When Ryan was born I was told it was unlikely he would be able to move from the waist down, but after just two conductive education sessions he was bum shuffling and now three years on walks confidently with a frame,” says mum Ange Griffin. Ryan is one of 20 children who attend regular conductive education classes at the centre’s base at Westown Primary School. The students, who have…continue reading →

CCS Disability Action Taranaki has earmarked recent funding received from the Te Karaka Foundation to help some of their young clients from central and south Taranaki transition from school to work or further education. “Every year we have two to three students who need help developing an action plan to bridge the gap between school and employment and the support to put it in place,” says CCS Disability Action Taranaki Service Manager Alison Goldby. Assistance ranges from helping set up work experience placements to job hunting support to travel and logistics. “Our major…continue reading →

Reliant on grants to run events, the Positive Ageing Trust were able to run a free financial seminar in April attracting more than 180 people thanks to a grant administered by Te Karaka. “We had a lot of demand to run a seminar on home finances, but had no idea we would attract such a large number of attendees,” says New Plymouth Positive Ageing Trust Trustee Mr David Showler. “The two main objectives were to provide unbiased, simple financial advice for pensioners with some money to invest and the pros and cons of…continue reading →

Hawera Budget Advisory Service volunteers will not be out of pocket thanks to funding from the Tindall Foundation. “With only three paid staff, we rely on volunteers to help meet the demand for our services and provide mentoring to our clients. With this funding we can pay for volunteers’ training costs, travel expenses and safety items, like pre-paid cellphones for those going on home visits,” says Hawera Budget Advisory Service Manager Julie Gaudin. Volunteers fill an important mentoring role with clients, helping with everything from advocacy work – accompanying clients to see other…continue reading →

Taranaki’s New Plymouth Emergency Shelter Trust who run the region’s only emergency shelter for men has received a timely financial boost thanks to funding from the Tindall Foundation. Responsibility for allocating funding of around $40,000 per year under the Tindall Foundation’s supporting families and social services programme is overseen by Te Karaka Foundation. “We’re pleased the Tindall Foundation have recognised Te Karaka’s expertise and local knowledge and have entrusted us to make recommendations and support organisations like the New Plymouth Emergency Shelter Trust,” says Te Karaka Foundation Chair Ken Horner. “Last year we…continue reading →

Around 30 young people from central and south Taranaki are getting a helping hand to get their driver’s licences thanks to a grant from the Tindall Foundation. “Getting a driver’s licence improves our young people’s access to education and employment, removes the isolation barriers in a rural community with limited public transport and improves safety on the roads for all of us,” says Central Taranaki Blue Light Ventures Coordinator Saskia Mills. Results from a 2013 Roadsafe Taranaki Survey of 5,300 secondary school students in Taranaki found that while 2,180 had driven a car…continue reading →

A grant to put towards purchasing a secondhand tandem bike has meant visually impaired Bell Block mum and keen cyclist Teena McEwen can get back in the saddle. Legally blind since birth, Teena doesn’t let a lack of vision stand in her way of being active. She took up bike riding four years ago when the Blind Foundation matched her with a pilot, the rider that steers, changes gears and describes the upcoming terrain, but had to put biking on hold as the tandem she had got beyond repair. Her saving and fundraising…continue reading →

How do you hear a smoke alarm if you are deaf? What about an alarm clock? For hearing impaired children Benji (9) and Sadie (7) Earl these two every day challenges have been overcome with specially designed smoke alarms and alarm clocks provided through a grant from Te Karaka Foundation. “Through the generosity of one of our donors Te Karaka was able to establish a fund for people with hearing and visual impairments and we’re delighted with the interest in the grants from the community,” says Te Karaka Chair Ken Horner. When triggered,…continue reading →