Every year hundreds of Kiwis get involved to help kids living in hardship. Want to join them?
You could run a marathon, hold a bake sale, host an event or organise a quiz night... the fundraising possibilities are endless! And every dollar you raise helps give Kiwi kids a fair start at life.
The KidsCan fundraising toolkit has all the information you need to get started. Our team is also here to answer all your questions and support your efforts. Contact us at fundraise@kidscan.org.nz
Are you in? Get amongst New Zealand's largest fun run. Based in the vibrant city of Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. This fun run is the perfect combo to get active & give back by fundraising for your charity of choice.
In April, 28-year-old Damion Ranginui ran 22 half marathons in 22 days to raise awareness and funds for KidsCan. It’s a cause that’s close to home. He’s now a manager at accounting firm KPMG, but he has never forgotten the feelings of hunger - and shame - he felt as a child living in poverty.
“There is a lot of shame that goes with having less than other kids. My nickname throughout school was ‘Hori’, a name I disliked with a passion, so I did everything I could to act like I had enough. I learned to avoid asking for or accepting food (even if it was being offered), because this provided others the opportunity to bully – lines like, ‘Of course you want the sandwich Hori.’ It was simpler to go without rather than be hurt by such statements.
I recall being hungry, wanting food, and it being extremely hard to focus, but I learned to cope without. There was no choice. I knew I could handle it, but for my sister who is eight years younger than me, it was tough knowing a little kid had to go through those experiences. A friend once called my little sister ‘Hori Junior’, which devastated me, because I had so much trauma attached to this name.
Occasionally, there would be just Weetbix for dinner. A tough moment I remember was one Saturday when I had rugby, and we had run out of all food and money. I remember looking through the cupboards, moving things around to see if there was anything there - but there was nothing. I headed to rugby on an empty stomach, and a friend just casually offered, “I'm gonna grab a sausage sizzle. Would you like one?” He would never have known how much that meant to me.
So that’s my motivation to run for KidsCan. I know how hard it is for a lot of kids who are struggling, and who don't have control over that, because they’re kids. I figured I should take on a decent challenge if I’m asking family, friends, and networks to donate. I am not a natural runner, but I’ve built up my fitness through discipline and consistency. The purpose behind the running has also been a great energiser.
I believe education is key to breaking the cycle of poverty, hence why kids need the essentials so they can focus throughout the day. Kids who can't afford the appropriate school uniform or shoes should be supported, so they can focus on learning rather than trying to avoid being bullied. Investing in kids, like KidsCan does, helps to ensure their well-being and learning opportunities are being tended to. By investing in our kids, we’re investing in the future of our country.
For me, it was the community that enabled my change in circumstance. I had teachers, friends, mentors, and family who saw potential in me. They encouraged me to dream big and showed me how to achieve my dreams. Now, with their help, I have a positive future ahead of me and have created generational change for me and my future whānau.
Next time you see a family or a kid doing it tough, I encourage you to think of how you can help. By supporting KidsCan, you’re helping a kid going through what I did. You will be building a brighter future for our beautiful country – Aotearoa.”
It’s a rare feat for a charity to be gifted prized space on the front of a sports jersey – this year we’ve been lucky enough to have the legendary Crusaders do just that! The players hit the field with KidsCan's name front and centre, all to help children in hardship.
"Our partnership with KidsCan is about doing our part to address the challenges faced by children in need. We aim to inspire our fans to be part of something bigger – a movement that champions the well-being and future of every child. Together with KidsCan, we aim to contribute to a brighter, more equitable future for all," Crusaders CEO Colin Mansbridge says.
The Crusaders say they’re committing to being “more than a sports team”, showing genuine care for their fans and community. That was evident at Te Ara Koropiko West Spreydon School in Christchurch, where the players served a BBQ breakfast to the delighted students, practised ball skills with them, and handed out goodie bags complete with tickets to a game.
"We believe in the power of sport to inspire and uplift, and through this partnership, we hope to contribute to a brighter future for children facing adversity," Mansbridge says.
Principal Marriene Langton thanked the Crusaders for providing a fantastic opportunity for their children. "It's our job to bring equity to our tamariki. And I'm so thankful for the way that you have committed to these tamariki and many, many others in Aotearoa to make sure they experience things they wouldn't normally have.”
KidsCan CEO Julie Chapman says the support couldn’t come at a better time. “The cost-of-living crisis is having a huge impact on vulnerable children and their families. So, it's huge for us that the Crusaders are helping to draw attention to our work, which is needed now more than ever.
And it doesn’t end there. The Crusaders have distributed hundreds of tickets to children and their families from our partner schools, allowing them to attend home games for free. They're also donating $5 from the sale of every retail jersey to KidsCan – get yours here. Thank you Crusaders for gifting us this incredible partnership! We’re honoured to be part of the whānau.
We’re always blown away by the kindness and initiative of our young supporters. Like 12-year-old Scarlett, who a few years ago created an event called ‘Stroke of Hope’ to raise money for those in need. This year we were the lucky recipients.
Her proud mum Esther told us: “She swims as many 25m lengths in 30 minutes as she can and asks people to sponsor her an amount of their choice per length. All the money then goes to a charity. This year she swam 70 lengths, and she chose to give the money to KidsCan to help kiwi kids in need.”
Scarlett raised an awesome total of $1583.50. That’s four kids supported with food, clothes, shoes and other essentials - for a whole year! Great job, Scarlett.
Then there’s Maggie Mellors – an enterprising 10-year-old who found a way to turn her love of peanut butter into a way to raise funds for kids living in poverty. Maggie’s very own recipe for ‘smunchy’ peanut butter was snapped up by Pic’s – and she asked for proceeds to go to KidsCan!
“Maggie is a very gentle soul and always thinks about kids less fortunate than her,” said dad Jon.
When Maggie and Jon hit on the perfect nutty combo – crunch and smooth – she wrote to Pic himself insisting it would bring “double the yumminess” to Kiwis.
For a limited time, 50c from each jar of Smunchy Pic’s Peanut Butter went to KidsCan – and a total of $1,350 was raised! Talk about spreading the love.
Got an idea for a cool fundraiser? Need help/inspo or just a wee friendly chat with our team? We’d love to hear from you. Contact us at fundraise@kidscan.org.nz.
Please complete this form and our team will be in touch within five working days.
