The Power of a Full Tummy
Become a donor and help kids in hardship
Every child deserves to thrive. Since it was founded in 2005 KidsCan has made a big difference in the lives of thousands of children across the country - providing food, clothing and health products to Kiwi kids living in hardship.
The charity operates on the premise that education is the pathway out of poverty - and, armed with these essentials, kids have the opportunity for a better future. As a result of the support the charity has received from businesses and a growing number of generous Kiwis thousands of students now enter preschools and classrooms - in the words of one teacher “warm, cosy and ready to learn”.
They can focus better, participate more, and attend regularly. For many it’s the only nutritious meal they get all day. It’s estimated that one in six of our children are affected by poverty with that number only growing as the cost-of-living increases and struggling parents face difficult choices with a shrinking budget.
KidsCan Ambassador Verity Brogden cites the support she received from the KidsCan programme as giving her some much-needed sustenance and hope in a very dark time.
“Their support meant I could go to school regularly with a full tummy and focus for class. I felt a bit more whole. It’s really helpful to know someone can see that you’re struggling and that they care.”
Verity still remembers getting her first pair of brand-new shoes from KidsCan. “I’d always had shoes from the opshop with the price tag written on them, which I always tried to hide. The new shoes fit, and it felt like someone could see me and see what I was going through.” Verity - now twenty - is studying politics at Canterbury University, has attended Youth Parliament and is well on her way to becoming a future leader.
Certainly, this Christmas will be a lot different to others she experienced in her younger life - “I remember for Christmases we’d get things that were already around the house and just wrap them up and give them to each other.
You can help support a child with the essentials by becoming a regular KidsCan donor, for as little as $7.50 a week. Go to kidscan.org.nz