Charity war chest for 2023
There's almost $9.5 million up for grabs for charitable causes from the Central Lakes Trust.
The trust board recently approved the grants budget for its new financial year, which began 1 April 2023.
Trust chair Linda Robertson says: "The trustees have been keeping a close watch on our financials given ongoing market uncertainty.
"While we endeavour to ensure we preserve our capital for future generations, we have been able to maintain our grants budget in the vicinity of what has been granted this year, which is fantastic for our community and its charitable causes."
As well as the $9.45m grants budget, this latest board meeting saw 13 grants approved to the tune of $664,887.
Arrowtown Matariki Lights 2023 was one of the events supported, for its second year. Due to be held on Matariki holiday weekend, on Friday, 14 July, it will celebrate the beginning of the Māori new year with performances, light art and music.
CLT Grants Manager Mat Begg says: "It is a chance to learn about the significance of the Matariki cluster of stars. The festival recognises the area which is traditionally important to local iwi as a meeting point and intersection of many tracks and pathways into the region."
Ronald McDonald House Charities New Zealand receives $102K towards supporting children and their families from the CLT region to stay at various Ronald McDonald House facilities across Aotearoa New Zealand while receiving medical treatment.
Last year, Ronald McDonald House assisted 106 families from the region.
"Our region does not have the medical services often required, and families have to travel to receive that much needed treatment. That Ronald McDonald House puts these people up for little or no charge is a significant benefit to those in need," Begg says.
The Bone Marrow Cancer Trust also receives $20K to support families from the CLT region to stay at Ranui House in Christchurch who are in need of lifesaving medical treatment at Christchurch Hospital.
Another group to receive support is Food for Love with a grant of over $98K towards the costs of preparing and distributing meals for those in need in the Upper Clutha area. It delivered 8000 meals last year, through 5,500 volunteer hours.
Wanaka Search and Rescue receive over $66K for costs associated with training and equipment, and construction of a new storage facility.
And Wao receives $150K to support the delivery of the Wao Programme in 2023/24. Wao holds a range of programmes designed to inspire, educate and enable the community to build resilience to change and the environmental challenges facing them.
"Educating and enabling proactive action to address our environmental and climate change challenges is very topical given recent weather events. We look forward to hearing about the great work Wao will do with its range of programmes this year."
Life Education Trust received $40k for a second mobile classroom, KingsView School received $1,050 for its Community Garden and Outdoor Space, while there were operational grants for Alzheimers Society Otago ($50k), Central Lakes Breastfeeding ($21k) and Mana Tahuna ($80k).
