Koru Care (NZ) is a registered charitable trust. Our volunteer team work for no financial reward, donating time and expertise to make dreams come true for children who have drawn the short straw. Koru Care’s first dream delivery involved taking a group of disabled youngsters to the movies back in 1983. Our next feat saw us fundraising for two years so that we could take a small group of children to the United Kingdom to see Buckingham Palace and Coronation Street.
These days, the Koru Care committee arranges several overseas trips every year for groups of children and caregivers. Our other activities include supplying educational and play equipment, setting up toy libraries, taking children on special day excursions and organising Christmas parties. We exist thanks to the time and energy of our loyal volunteers and the on-going support of sponsors. From raffles and garage sales, our fundraising efforts have evolved into a well-orchestrated strategy that includes corporate sponsorship, gala auctions, sports events, a public sponsorship programme and street appeals.
Taking ill and disabled children to dream destinations requires the dedicated support of Koru Care caregivers. Every group of children that is sent on a holiday by Koru Care is accompanied by a team of trained volunteers, including several registered nurses. Our caregivers are unpaid, and they take annual leave to make the trips possible. Each caregiver has two children to look after 24 hours a day, from receiving the children at the airport to returning them to their families.
The parents and families of the children we help also donate time and energy to Koru Care. They are encouraged to take part in the fund-raising, so that they can take some of the credit for giving their child the trip of a lifetime.
In making dreams come true for sick and disabled children we’re also helping their families. Often, an injection of enjoyment helps to change a child’s outlook, which can improve day-to-day life for their family and friends. Koru Care is well known for delivering dreams in the form of memorable overseas trips, Disneyland – USA and Gold Coast – Australia, are the dream destinations that we have focused on, closer to home we put on events for the children and our annual Christmas harbour cruise and picnic.
Koru Care relies on the generosity and support of it’s members, with supporters helping with the day to day running of Koru Care, people from all walks of life help in ways we could only dream of.
Our Staff
Ann Bain, QSM – Chairperson
Sandra Waaka – Financial Co-Ordinator
Tracey Curran, BA – Office Manager
Trustees
John Cowsill
NZ native John Cowsill was born and raised in Auckland and is married with three adult age children. Working for SKY Television for the last 21 years, he holds the position of Manager Entertainment Content and has specialised in the Family channels. John was a founder member of the Marina View School Board of Trustees for 9 years and Chairman of the Marina View Community Hall for 6 years. He has also served on several sporting and school committees over the last 25 years. His working career includes, Universal Pictures, Warner Bros and Air New Zealand. John has participated in three Koru Care trips and has been a Trustee of the Koru Care Charitable Trust since 2001.
Arthur Loo
Auckland-born Arthur Loo has been in practice as a solicitor since 1977. Arthur is also the Chairperson for the Foundation for Alcohol and Drug Education (FADE), chairperson for The SKYCITY Auckland Community Trust and a trustee for the Leukaemia & Blood Foundation NZ. Arthur received the New Zealand Commemorative Medal in 1990 and his community service also includes being the current Deputy Chairman of the Auckland Chinese Community Centre.
Bram Milne-Rodregues
Bram has been involved for many years in senior management positions in the Franchising industry and consults to many prominent and successful business’s in New Zealand and Australia. He also has been involved in running youth camps for not-for-profit organisations and a Volunteer Support Worker for Refugee Services Aotearoa. Since Bram’s involvement with Koru Care, he takes great pleasure in participating on the overseas trips as a volunteer caregiver.
Morris Watson
Morris was born in Auckland, and has been deeply involved in the Plastics Industry for the past 45 years. He is a Life member of Plastics NZ, Bucklands Beach Yacht Club, and Panmure Yacht and Boating Club. He is now semi retired and enjoys travelling and boating.
What We Do And How We Do It?
Since 1983 Koru Care has been working to bring joy into the lives of children with major health issues. During these years we have helped more than 10,000 children and their families by giving these children some unforgettable experiences.
What Koru Care is best known for is taking groups of children with major health issues to far-away fantasy destinations such as the Gold Coast, Australia and California, USA. Other activities include supplying educational and play equipment, setting up toy libraries, taking children on special day excursions and an annual Christmas Cruise.
The children who participate in these events are often referred from other child organisations such as @Heart, Kidney Kids, Child Cancer, Cystic Fibrosis and other community organisation that have deserving children that fit our criteria.
To undertake these major events, Koru Care is reliant of the generosity of trusts, grants, businesses and the general public, there is no government funding. We also encourage families to help with fundraising in some way. This could mean writing letters seeking sponsorship, joining a local fundraising activity or finding a novel way to raise other funds themselves. Kids really get a kick out of helping to fundraise and often come up with brilliant ways to do it.
Koru Care is always fundraising; from holding Charity Auctions and formal dinners, to the selling of Entertainment Books and auctions on Trade Me, If there is any way you can help whether financially or volunteering on an event please contact us.
Koru Care Charitable Trust NZ
P.O. Box 125-303, St Heliers
Auckland 1740
Ph: 09 523 2456
E-mail: [email protected]