OPINION: Hunger, paid work that’s intermittent at best, domestic violence, the absence of hope, broken educations – how much of that is familiar to you?
These hard issues long pre-dated the Covid-19 pandemic, but there’s plenty of evidence they may have been exacerbated by it here in Aotearoa New Zealand.
By and large New Zealanders have bought into the galvanising mantra of “be kind”. For New Zealand’s 28,000 charities, it’s a phrase that has assumed new resonance and urgency.
Their vital work goes on every day, away from the glare and ritual of the daily media.
These charities deliver not just kindness but also the necessities of life, hope, enablement and other resources to tens of thousands of New Zealanders every day.
Their work highlights stories and circumstances that are utterly distant from the relatively comfortable lives of many New Zealanders – including mine and most of the people I interact with at work and socially.
It’s my day job to help make that happen, working with my trustees, partners and the financial brains and passion of the whole team at Milford Asset Management
Partners of the Foundation include the Graeme Dingle Foundation and the 0800 What’s Up? service operated by Barnardos. Together these organisations have a strong focus on youth and community. The work of the Graeme Dingle Foundation has highlighted still other, though inter-related, challenges. These include the ways in which lockdowns and associated disruptions have affected the motivation of some students.
Also available in Sunday Star Times.