Every day they go without the essentials is a day they can't focus on learning, a day they fall further behind. But kids can't wait.
We've launched an urgent Winter Appeal, backed by our amazing Principal Partner Meridian Energy, so we can reach more kids in need and provide food, snug waterproof jackets and closed-toe shoes.
When kids don't have the essentials, they can't concentrate on learning or they just don't attend school. Every day they lose in the classroom sets them back. But teachers tell us when children are fed and warm everything changes. They settle in class, learn, develop better social skills and thrive.
New Zealand’s children charity, KidsCan, is experiencing a significant increase in demand for food, with orders up 15% compared to the same period last year, as the organisation enters what CEO and Founder Julie Chapman describes as the toughest time of year for families in poverty.
In 1981, Mini fever hit New Zealand with the release of the classic comedy film Goodbye Pork Pie, featuring two blokes in a stolen Mini making a cross-country dash to evade the chasing cops. In 2025, the film has become the inspiration for an epic KidsCan fundraiser — the Pork Pie Charity Run. This year, 50 teams of Mini lovers loosely followed the Blondini Gang’s route from Paihia to Invercargill over six adventure-filled days. The result? An incredible $469,137 raised.
By Leisha Byrnes, Lincoln Heights School Principal. We're always worried about our students during the holidays, but we’re pretty connected with our community, so our high-risk families have our staff’s phone numbers – including mine. They’ll ring us over the holidays, and we'll organise food parcels. We actually leave the school unlocked as well, so our parents and our kids see school as a safe place. They will come up here and use the playground, use the bike track.
A monthly donation offers stability and continuity to kids in need. With you alongside us, we can keep children fed, clothed and healthy for as long as they need us.
A monthly donation helps us to plan, evolve and expand our programmes. Your support is the rock on which we can build.
A monthly donation is cost-effective for us to process – so more of your money goes to our work on the ground in schools and preschools.
We make your generosity go a long way. 80% of your donation goes straight to our programmes. We invest a further 12% in to fundraising and marketing to raise even more funds - multiplying your impact.