The KidsCan Charitable Trust (trading as KidsCan) is a New Zealand based
charitable trust. It was founded in 2005 in
Greenhithe, Auckland, New Zealand by Julie Chapman and works to help address
New Zealand kids living in poverty (defined as living at 60% or less of the median wage, or one in four New Zealand children) through a variety of programmes.
Origin and funding
Julie Chapman
Born in about 1972 into a middle-class family, Chapman was inspired to found KidsCan after learning of children staying away from school because they didn't have raincoats. Initially, when she heard of the problem she thought there might be a few hundred children impacted nationally, but in a rough survey of 80 low-decile schools she found that there were thousands of children impacted.
In recognition of her work and for services to children and the community, Chapman was made a Dame Companion of the
New Zealand Order of Merit
The New Zealand Order of Merit () is an order of merit in the New Zealand royal honours system. It was established by royal warrant (document), royal warrant on 30 May 1996 by Elizabeth II, Monarchy of New Zealand, Queen of New Zealand, "for th ...
in the
2025 New Year Honours (New Zealand).
Initial organisation
KidsCan was founded by Julie Chapman in 2005 with a NZ$40,000 grant from Guardian Trust. She initially worked out of her garage.
[National Portrait: KidsCan founder Julie Chapman says NZ kids are worse off than ever](_blank)
Stuff, Bess Manson, 05:00, Apr 21 2018, retrieved 2 November 2021
In 2018 it provided support to over 171,000 kids in nearly 709
New Zealand low-decile schools nationwide. KidsCan is funded mainly by campaign income (donations), which make up around 30% of their revenue. 18% comes from business sponsorship while a further 6% comes from government support (mainly via the
Ministry of Social Development, philanthropic trusts, and gaming revenue. Around 43% of revenue is made up of in kind gifts and donated goods.
Aid programmes
The Charity runs a number of aid programmes: In Our Own Backyard, Food for Kids, Shoes for Kids, Raincoats for Kids, Warm Kids Cool Kids, and Health for Kids). In 2012 they provided food, socks, shoes, and raincoats to over 46,000 disadvantaged children.
By 2018 this number had grown to 171,000 children in 709 schools across the country – mostly 1-4 decile schools.
Food for Kids
Providing nutritious and targeted food for 10,585 financially disadvantaged children across New Zealand every school day, either as a complete meal or to supplement what they have at home. 2.6 million items of food were provided for children with
food insecurity
Food security is the state of having reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, healthy food. The availability of food for people of any class, gender, ethnicity, or religion is another element of food protection. Similarly, househo ...
in 2012.
In 2019 the New Zealand government rolled out the ''Ka Ora, Ka Ako'' programme, a free school lunch programme in high needs areas. As this meant KidsCan no longer needed to provide school lunches they changed the focus of their programme to help at other times of the day.
Shoes for Kids
Providing a free pair of shoes and two pairs of socks for children coming to school in winter without footwear or with footwear that is in bad condition. Over 8,000 pairs of shoes and 16,000 pairs of socks were distributed in 2012.
Raincoats for Kids
Providing free fleece-lined, waterproof raincoats for kids whose families, struggling to make ends meet, often relegate as a lower-priority item. Schools recycle the raincoats every year and KidsCan tops them up as needed. 15,620 raincoats were distributed in 2013,
in partnership with the
New Zealand Warriors
The Warriors are a professional rugby league football club based in Auckland, New Zealand that competes in the National Rugby League (NRL) premiership and is the League's only team from outside Australia. They were formed in 1995 as the Aucklan ...
.
Warm Kids Cool Kids
Providing thermal tops and beanies during the winter months and sunhats during summer in partnership with
The Warehouse A warehouse is a storage facility.
Warehouse or The Warehouse may also refer to:
Buildings and places Canada
* The Warehouse (Toronto), a defunct nightclub in Toronto, Ontario
* The Warehouse Studio, a recording facility and photography studio i ...
. Over 17,000 hand-knitted beanies and 10,000 sunhats were handed out in 2012.
Health for Kids
A new initiative for 2013 providing nit treatment, nit combs, hand sanitiser, band-aids and tissues for KidsCan partner schools. Over 2000 children were supported when the programme launched in
Kaitaia
Kaitaia () is a town in the Far North District of New Zealand, at the base of the Aupōuri Peninsula, about 160 km northwest of Whangārei. It is the last major settlement on State Highway 1. Ahipara Bay, the southern end of Te Oneroa-a- ...
- over 1000 basic hygiene items and 290 prescription medicines were provided.
KidsCan has also partnered with Lumino the Dentists to provide Lumino dental hygiene kits and free dental care to families of children at KidsCan partner schools on Lumino Day.
In Our Own Backyard
A child sponsorship programme which provides warm clothing, clothes, shoes, food, basic stationery and hygiene items for a child for a year. It costs NZ$15 a month, or NZ$180 a year. So far, about 4600 people have signed up to sponsor a child.
COVID-19 response
In response to the New Zealand government's Covid-19 lockdowns and their impact on poorer families KidsCan launched an urgent appeal to get food parcels to 2500 families in Auckland and Wellington.
Covid-19 coronavirus Delta outbreak: Charity KidsCan calls for donations to help feed hungry families during lockdown
NZ Herald, 30 Aug, 2021 05:00 AM, retrieved 2 November 2021
References
External links
*{{official website, http://www.kidscan.org.nz/
Children's charities based in New Zealand