Philanthropy’s Response to the Christchurch Earthquakes
What people are doing.
We asked funders from around New Zealand to tell us what they are doing in the post Quake sector. Their responses are listed below. If you would like us to include your post Quake work in the list, email Yvonne at: yvonne@philanthropy.org.nz. Thanks!
ASB Community Trust: Immediately after the February earthquakes it was predicted that as many as 40,000 people could flee North from Christchurch to Auckland. This number has not eventuated. However, the ASB Community Trust has become aware that many social service agencies in our region are under pressure from an increased demand for their services as displaced people move North.
The Trust has set up a quick response mechanism through which any applications received to assist displaced people in our region can be reviewed promptly and grants can be provided if requested to assist social service agencies in our region to deal with increased demand. To date the Trust has received relatively few such applications.
Discussion with major social service providers have indicated that Auckland is facing an affordable housing shortage and there is concern that refugees, migrants and low income families who have been displaced to Auckland may have moved in with families who are already living in overcrowded situations.
Another matter of concern to agencies in our region is the impact on fundraising at a national and local level. There is some evidence that funds have either been diverted to Christchurch, national appeals have been cancelled or donors have decided to direct their funds to appeals from the South. Trustees are aware of this issue and will be taking it into consideration over the next few funding rounds as the impact flows through to the budgets of social service agencies. http://www.asbcommunitytrust.org.nz/
Baytrust : Our Trust gave $30,000 in the days immediately after the initial quake and have been supporting Christchurch residents who have moved to live in the Bay district. While our Trust deed states that our funds are to primarily benefit the people of the Bay of Plenty, we will continue to monitor the situation in Christchurch and listen to our fellow funders in that area. http://www.baytrust.org.nz/
The Canterbury Community Trust (TCCT): will continue to receive applications from community groups within the various donation sectors. Trustees recognise that for many groups, there may be difficulty in accessing some of the supporting documentation (audited accounts, chairperson’s report, resolution authorising application etc). Although applicants are encouraged to still get their application in by the closing date, there may be some leniency shown, on a case by case basis, in regard to lack of some supporting information.
Many of the organisations previously supported by TCCT are now facing increased accommodation, communication, travel, and employment costs. Thus there is an expectation that an application to TCCT for assistance with operational costs will in some cases be a substantial increase on previous years’ applications. This is recognised by TCCT trustees and such applications will be considered on a case by case basis.
We are keeping faith with the community at a time when fundraising has become extremely challenging.
The only “earthquake related” exclusion relates to those organisations who were either uninsured on under–insured. TCCT won’t act as substitute for an insurance company as trustees believe such funding is unfair on those organisations who did pay for sufficient insurance. http://www.commtrust.org.nz/Home.
Community Trust of Southland: We are precluded from just being able to send a cheque up to Chirstchurch – much as we might like to do that.
So instead we have been looking at community organisations within our specified areas that may have been impacted as a result of the earthquakes – e.g. perhaps by experiencing an increase in demand for that organisation’s services by way of an influx of people from Canterbury coming into our region. An example might be a counselling service. Another example is a service such as St. John’s Ambulance which has incurred increased costs locally through sending people from our area (and other parts of New Zealand) to Christchurch, stretching their local resources and in some cases necessitating increased costs locally to plug some of those gaps; as well as deleting equipment and supplies locally.
Our Trustees have approved a fund to enable us to respond to these types of situations.
The DV Bryant Trust: We have responded to the crisis/recovery needs in Christchurch by
1 Giving money to the (Anglican) City Mission; Methodist Mission and Presbyterian Support Upper South Island – the social service arms of our three constituent churches in that region.
2 We are making available our Bryant Retreat for Women at Raglan to at least two groups of women from Christchurch. Each intake (mid to late July and late August/early September) can accommodate six women at a time, on an eleven-day stay offering rest and relaxation by the sea. The Trust will pay travel expenses to and from Raglan and provide the retreat free of charge. We’re currently liaising with the Methodist Women’s Fellowship in Christchurch to help us identify women who could benefit from such an experience. Unfortunately we’re not ‘geared up’ to accommodate children, so the women need to have no dependents at least for the duration of their stay.
Lion Foundation: The Lion Foundation’s meetings with Mayor Bob Parker, Christchurch Council and with Mark Weldon from the Prime Ministers Fund have gone well and they are now awaiting final confirmation on how best to bring their exceptional $5m worth of support to make the greatest difference possible for the people who continue to operate in extremely challenging circumstances. Once final confirmation is received The Lion Foundation will ensure it communicates with all its stakeholders so that we can continue to meet the day to day needs of the community alongside this more "strategic recovery" targeted City support. http://www.lionfoundation.org.nz/
Ngai Tahu:
Nāia te mihi kau, te maioha ki a koutou i runga i ngā tini āhuatanga o te wā.
Ko te tūmanako ia, e ora ana koutou i ngā manaakitanga o te wāhi ngaro. Kia tau te mauri.
In response to the September 2010 and February 2011 earthquakes Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu established “Te Awheawhe Rū Whenua”, the Earthquake Recovery Working Group sub-committee. The purpose of this sub-committee is to plan Ngāi Tahu’s immediate and longer term response to the earthquakes and Christchurch’s recovery. Members appointed to Te Awheawhe Rū Whenua are: Wally Stone (Chair), Mark Solomon, Elizabeth Cunningham and Tutehounuku Korako.
Its responsibilities include responding to not only the needs of Ngāi Tahu whānau but also other iwi and affected communities. Te Awheawhe Rū Whenua’s role is to engage with affected rūnanga seek expert advice from those working in the field and identify the needs of those affected by the earthquakes.
Supported by the Office of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, Te Awheawhe Rū Whenua meets weekly to plan and guide this work. Every fortnight the Chairs of the rūnanga affected by the earthquakes and representatives from Te Puni Kōkiri also meet with Te Awheawhe Rū Whenua to assist with the response planning and recovery effort.
One of the first jobs completed by Te Awheawhe Rū Whenua was identify the needs of affected communities. As a result of research completed by the Office of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, Mana Waitaha Charitable Trust and Dr Regan Potangaroa from the Auckland Unitec, Te Awheawhe Rū Whenua were able to quickly identify whānau and community needs. It has become clear that those hardest hit reside in Kaiapoi, Christchurch East, Lyttelton and Rāpaki. This is not to understate the affects that the earthquake has had in other areas of Canterbury. The Needs Analysis identified five key areas where the working group needs to respond. These areas are;
- Whānau wellbeing including health and social;
- Housing to support with things like repairs, home heating etc;
- Rūnanga/hapū led responses;
- Financial Support
- Advisory work at agency and national levels.
With the assistance of Rūnanga Chairs and experts in the above fields Te Awheawhe Rū Whenua has developed a strategic plan to respond to these needs. Further details on Te Awheawhe Rū Whenua’s response to these earthquakes and aftershocks will be announced very soon. In the coming months there will be regular updates in Te Pānui Rūnaka, on the Ngāi Tahu website, via Facebook and Te Karaka.
Te Awheawhe Rū Whenua wishes to acknowledge the loss and devastation that many whānau are having to cope with. We are moving as rapidly as we can to respond to your immediate and longer term needs.
Rotary New Zealand: The Christchurch Rotary Earthquake Relief Charitable Trust has been established by Rotary District 9970’s District Governor and is responsible to her/him for dealing with donations from Rotary sources, both national and international, following the Christchurch earthquakes.
Our goals are to identify and respond to earthquake-related needs not met by the major funding groups (e.g. Red Cross and the Mayor’s Fund), to focus first, when considering grants, on those of low socio-economic status, older people, young people, and those with a disability, to make monetary grants in a timely manner following formal application to the Trust and to respond to requests from Rotary clubs and other community groups.
Administration costs will be covered elsewhere to ensure all donations are used for earthquake relief purposes.
Applications for grants from the Trust will be made on the standard application form.Completed application forms will be sent to the Christchurch Rotary Earthquake Relief Trust Committee, P.O. Box 39100, Christchurch, or by email to ebh@hfk.co.nz.
Applications will be seen as part of Rotary’s wider responses which include the District 9970 Earthquake Recovery Support Project, and the District Respite Care Programme.
The Tindall Foundation: Our response is fairly fluid due to the changing situation and uncertainty about longer-term needs. Our work is divided into short term, medium and longer-term needs. Short term funding for immediate needs has largely been channelled through the Foundation’s local Funding Manager partners (e.g Methodist Mission, Salvation Army, United Way), and other organisations which it already supports. Some medium-term donations have also been made for things like counselling youth workers/young people who have been affected. Trustees are keen to look at the longer term social needs and building community resilience, working with people already working in Christchurch to identify the most appropriate responses. The Trust is based in Auckland but, in partnership with the Todd Foundation, is exploring creating a better bridge by contracting a Christchurch-based Project Manager. http://www.tindall.org.nz/
Todd Foundation: Our $1.84m Todd Foundation Earthquake Recovery Fund set up through donations from the Todd Corporation, Todd family members and Todd staff has now started its grant programme to not-for-profit organisations in Christchurch and Canterbury. Our funding will focus on engaging communities in recovery and renewal and supporting the recovery of the Canterbury not-for-profit sector. We are working collaboratively with other funders whenever possible. As a first collaborative step we are planning to contract a Christchurch-based project manager in partnership with the Tindall Foundation. We are also working with Philanthropy NZ to support further funder collaboration.
All funds donated into the Todd Foundation Earthquake Recovery Fund and interest earned will directly benefit Canterbury organisations. Overheads and administration costs will be met by the Todd Foundation
A list of Todd Foundation Earthquake Recovery Fund recipients is available here and will be regularly updated as grants are made.
Trust Waikato: We have been able to donate funding to support Waikato community groups in their earthquake relief efforts. Trust Waikato have been keen to assist both the Waikato community groups providing assistance in Christchurch and those providing assistance for people moving from Christchurch into our region. Here are some of the wonderful projects providing aid to Christchurch:
New Zealand Council of Victim Support Groups – Waikato: $12,000 donation towards costs associated with sending staff and volunteers to Christchurch.
Te Whakaruruhau (Inc) Maori Womens Refuge: $10,000 donation towards costs associated with sending workers to Christchurch.
Maniapoto Maori Trust Board: $5,000 donation towards its Christchurch assistance project.
Te Hauora o Ngati Haua Trust: $3,000 donation towards earthquake support co-ordination.
Kirikiriroa Maori Wardens Sub-association (Inc): $3,000 donation towards costs associated with sending volunteer Maori wardens to Christchurch. http://www.trustwaikato.co.nz
United Way NZ: We are supporting 29 Canterbury charities who have been particularly disadvantaged by the quakes, through our post-quake funding grants.
A public event will be held on 21 July in Christchurch, where the grants will be presented. http://www.unitedway.org.nz/
Vodafone NZ Foundation: The Vodafone NZ Foundation runs three distinct programmes: World of Difference, Fellowship in Youth Health Leadership and a grants programme (focused on capacity building). All programmes have a focus on encouraging healthy outcomes for young New Zealanders. The Foundation are promoting call for entries more heavily through Christchurch networks and the Board is very keen to see more applications from Canterbury this year. $1,688,000 has been donated to the NZ Red Cross for Christchurch, which includes customer donations of $740,000 made via the Foundation’s SMS fundraising initiative, Red Alert. Please see their website for more: http://foundation.vodafone.co.nz/
Wayne Francis Charitable Trust: WFCT focus is to facilitate discussion on social sector collaboration and partnership. It is, with two major social service network organisations, co-funding a workshop that the brings together community social services managers to review community resilience initiatives and critical factors and to discuss what opportunities have arisen in light of the need for many to rebuild physical infrastructure and change operational practice and how the social service organisations can build a shared future.
The Trust’s second focus is youth employment in the city. It is advocating strongly and looking for an opportunity to bring interested stakeholders together to discuss how best to ensure that our youth are being adequately skilled, supported and employed in the rebuild of the city, over the next five years. http://www.wfct.org.nz/Home
Please note that this is an unfinished list. More information will be added as it becomes available.