News from Our Backyard Supporting Disadvantaged Kiwi Kids
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News from Supporting Disadvantaged Kiwi Kids our Backyard www.kidscan.org.nz Autumn 2014 In Our Own Backyard A big welcome to: 37 schools join KidsCan ê Bailey Road School, Auckland ê Dyer Street School, Wellington KidsCan now assists Kiwi kids in 388 ê Frimley School, Hawkes Bay ê Fruitvale School, Auckland schools throughout New Zealand! ê Heretaunga Intermediate, Hawkes Bay ê Hillcrest School (Pahiatua), Our tangible programmes are working and we wanted to share some feedback Manawatu/Wanganui from a partner shool... ê Horeke School, Northland “The change in our school since having the KidsCan food has been incredible and ê Koru School, Auckland we know from our data that important statistics have improved since we started ê Lincoln Heights School, Auckland providing 300 sandwiches a day. There is much less fighting and attendance has ê Mangakahia Area School, Northland increased by over 5%. Our performance in NCEA has increased and we are now at ê Marewa School, Hawkes Bay the national average, a considerable improvement. We do have students who live ê Massey Primary School, Auckland in poverty, often they talk about there not being enough food for them because ê Matihetihe School, Northland it’s essential that their younger brothers and sisters get enough”, says Salvatore ê Naenae Intermediate, Wellington Gargiulo Principal of Manurewa High School. ê Ngakonui Valley School, Manawatu/Wanganui “The ‘In Our Own Backyard’ support programme for Kiwi kids has been running ê Ohaeawai School, Northland for the past four years and it’s this type of ongoing commitment that makes an ê Orakei School, Auckland impact throughout the year. I am sure people will agree, it’s sad that there are still ê Panmure Bridge School, Auckland many children in New Zealand who need our support, but it’s good to know as an individual you can help to ensure we can continue to be there for them as long as ê Parakai School, Auckland we are needed. For more information visit kidscan.org.nz”, says Julie Chapman ê Randwick School, Wellington CEO and Founder of KidsCan. ê Redoubt North School, Auckland ê St Therese School (Three Kings), Auckland Now even more Kiwi kids will be receiving the basics they would otherwise ê Stoke School, Nelson miss out on. ê Sunnyvale School, Auckland ê Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Kawakawa mai Tawhiti, Gisborne ê Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Ngaruahinerangi, Taranaki ê Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Te Matai, Bay of Plenty ê Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Tupoho, Manawatu/Wanganui ê Te Kura o Te Paroa, Bay of Plenty ê Te Kura o Te Whakarewarewa, Bay of Plenty ê Te Puke Intermediate, Bay of Plenty ê Te Wainui a Rua, Manawatu/Wanganui ê Thames South School, Waikato ê The Rise Up Academy, Auckland ê Titahi Bay North School, Wellington ê Titahi Bay School, Wellington Colourful students at Titahi Bay School, Porirua. Photo credit: Carey Fountain ê Whananaki School, Northland Opinion piece CEO’s Report The solutions to child poverty Welcome to the autumn edition of the KidsCan newsletter. The first two months of the year have flown by and I can’t believe we are now are in our hands mid-way through March. Dr Russell Wills, Children’s Commissioner The Food for Kids programme can get to school warm, is in full swing with all schools dry and in a position to learn. Julie Chapman. KidsCan CEO and Founder, In December the JR McKenzie Trust, University of Otago and having received their first term We are able to support so many my Office partnered to produce the Child Poverty Monitor orders in February. Teacher’s appreciate the practical more children this year thanks because we believe public opinion on child poverty has to support at a grassroots level I am pleased to report we are to generous donations from Pub change for our political leaders to address child poverty. which helps to ensure children The monitor is a substantial analysis of several measures of now supporting 388 schools Charity, the Ministry of Social can begin their school day ready child poverty, with a public face of easily understandable throughout New Zealand and Development and the thousands and eager to learn. pictures to illustrate the data. we expect this number to of individuals who contribute As is usual in such exercises, we attracted both applause and steadily increase to around each month to the KidsCan cause. There are sadly still thousands condemnation. Applause from those whose daily experience, 500 by the end of 2014. of children we need to reach, At the end of last year we like mine, is of children who do without the basics of life and with recently released figures The KidsCan Operations team asked the schools we work suffer as a consequence. Condemnation from those who find showing the number of it simpler to blame parents than to address the issue. have been doing a fabulous with to provide feedback on New Zealand children living in job over the past month how our programmes are making Blaming parents for children doing without breakfast, poverty now stands at 285,000. collating orders for our clothing an impact on a daily basis for lunch, shoes or raincoats is a choice that, like all choices, has consequences. It guarantees no change, because people programme, and this year we children in need. Whilst this number seems who feel blamed by a system do not engage with it and have introduced waterproof, overwhelming, the good news We welcomed the positive therefore do not change. This in turn means that the current fully lined trousers due to requests is you can help KidsCan to make feedback we received which generation of infants will have a similar rate of poverty as from our partner schools. a difference for one child at a the current group of 16 year-olds who were raised in poverty, showed our initiatives are time by supporting our work. arrived at school not ready to learn and will leave school The trousers complement our continuing to improve the without qualifications this year – about a fifth of them. The fleece lined raincoats, shoes and learning ability of children Until next time, take care. current generation of infants will also have a high proportion of socks perfectly and more than experiencing food insecurity, workless, benefit dependent, non-productive young people. Julie Chapman 30,000 children will receive these material deprivation and KidsCan Founder and CEO We will be older then. We will depend on these young items in time for winter so they poverty related illnesses. people to work and pay our hospital bill and superannuation. We will need them to be well, productive, obey the law This issue is so important that I believe there should be a plan and pay taxes. Do you really think that if a fifth of them are to reduce child poverty and legislation that holds current raised in poverty they will be in a fit state to care for us and future governments and public service chief executives when we are old? accountable for delivering on that plan. We have this for the road toll and border security because that’s what you do The economy is picking up this year with growth predicted Contents with things that really matter – you have legislation and at 3.5%. I am not advocating for spending willy-nilly on a plan, and you monitor progress against it. children – there won’t be that much money. I’m advocating CEO Report pg02 Volunteer profile pg07 I Am challenge pg09 for careful, targeted, evidence-based investment in a few So this year when the pollster rings and asks you what is Solutions to child poverty pg03 Tax rebates pg07 Thank you letters pg10 areas where the return on that investment is guaranteed top of your mind this election year, please say child poverty. and substantial. The children who benefit most from Tell them you expect the parties to invest in New Zealand’s Kids put pen to paper pg04 New Zealander of the Year pg08 KidsCan in the Community pg11 that investment are the poorest and youngest. There are children because they are our future. If you have the time, Povery related illness pg05 Fullers and KidsCan pg08 Thank yous pg12 guaranteed returns from careful investment in social housing, be a part of the nationwide movement to provide practical Distribution Dates pg06 Entrepreneurs raise money Let’s be friends pg12 heating and insulation, early childhood education, supporting solutions such as food in schools programmes, providing for KidsCan pg09 parents back into work, feeding kids in schools and a minimum after-school care or fostering. Hire a single parent or young Schools and Volunteer standard of living for families with young children. person and support their transition to work. That’s what our Update pg06 parents’ generation did. We can do it too. 2 www.kidscan.org.nz | 09 478 1525 | [email protected] www.kidscan.org.nz | 09 478 1525 | [email protected] 3 Kids put pen to paper! The sad reality In February this year Kuehne + Nagel New Zealand “Kuehne + Nagel has been serving the New Zealand made a significant donation of exercise books and market since 1971 and we are proud to be able to of poverty related illness stationery to KidsCan. directly impact the wellbeing and learning of Kiwi kids who are not as fortunate as others. It’s vital that Below is an email we received from a partner school in Hawkes Bay. The incredibly generous donation saw $155,000 This highlights the terrible reality of poverty related illness and is one of the worth of items distributed to 160 of our partner children get the best start they can at the beginning schools throughout New Zealand.