Recognition for ‘aunty to many’
Providing emotional and financial support to vulnerable women in South Auckland earned charity founder Jackie Clark the title of supreme winner at the 2018 Women of Influence awards in Auckland last night.
Her non-profit organisation, The Aunties, provides for women who are survivors of domestic violence.
It supports Te Ro¯opu O Te Wha¯nau Rangimarie¯ O Tamaki Makau¯ rau, the New Zealand Prostitutes Collective, the emergency housing team of social workers for the Salvation Army, a youth justice worker and her clients, social workers from Family First, Strive, several other community organisations, and a homeless shelter.
Clark set up the charity eight years ago when she realised there was a need for an intermediary to be able to quickly provide support for individual women affected by domestic violence.
She collects clothing, buys groceries and pays bills for many of life’s essentials as well as some of the little things that bring women and children joy.
The Aunties is supported by a network of 50 men and women who have made a huge difference in the lives of hundreds of women and children.
Manawatu¯ teenager Maddison McQueenDavies won the Young Leader award for her community work at the awards.
McQueen-Davies founded Share a Pair NZ last year when she was shocked to discover that many children in the Manawatu¯/Tararua region had worn-out and leaking school shoes.
Share a Pair distributes donated secondhand school shoes and sneakers to children in need. McQueen-Davies organised collection points in her region and she collects, sorts, cleans and sanitises the shoes.
More than 500 pairs of shoes had been donated by the end of April, and more than 250 have been passed on to struggling families.
Share a Pair has more than 500 followers on Facebook and McQueen-Davies has promoted the cause with print and online advertising campaigns.