Long thought of as the organisation that can help you leave a gift to the community in your Will, Acorn has extended its offerings to enable locals to participate in community giving regardless of their age or stage of life. Giving options now include Living Giving, trust resettlements, regular giving to favourite Community Group Funds, collective giving in the form of Giving Circles, Workplace Giving and Corporate Giving involving businesses like Cooney Lees Morgan, Metro Marketing, NumberWorks’nWords and KPMG Tauranga.
Acorn Foundation, Craigs Investment Partners and the Community Foundations of NZ launched a national partnership in December.
A long-time supporter of communities across the country, Craigs Investment Partners developed a unique and strategic giving programme.
Donations to support the greatest needs in each of the 19 communities in which Craigs has a regional office will be made in conjunction with one of the 17 community foundations found around New Zealand.
The partnership is multi-faceted including a combination of Christmas Giving, Workplace Giving and the establishment of a Community Fund.
Craigs’ Christmas Giving
Donations of more than $150,000 reached charitable organisations around the country before Christmas with $27,000 gifted locally.
The local recipients included: Good Neighbour, EmpowermentNZ (based in Te Puke), St. Peter’s House, KidsCan, Awhina House Women’s Night Shelter, and Tauranga Moana Men’s Night Shelter.
Each of the 19 Craigs branches have created a Giving Committee to choose recipients in conjunction with their local community foundation.
“We see a huge benefit to our communities by giving to those with the greatest needs at a time of the year when we know that many feel huge pressure financially.” says Craigs Managing Director, Frank Aldridge.
Craigs’ Workplace Giving
Craigs employees around the country can now sign up for payroll Workplace Giving with the employee contribution matched by Craigs up to $500 per employee. Each Craigs branch’s Giving Committee will work with their local community foundation annually to determine the most deserving recipients in their area.
Craigs Community Fund
A giving fund has been established with the Acorn Foundation whereby in the future, a portion of the Craigs fund will be distributed to recipients of their choosing. Acorn Foundation General Manager, Lori Luke, says that the Craigs Community Fund will provide a welcome boost for local charities all across New Zealand, forever. “The benefit of these kinds of funds is that it provides yearly distributions to really deserving local charities. It is amazing to have a national company like Craigs leading the way in this sort of strategic giving, and we hope other businesses will follow suit.”
Acorn is eager to work with other WBOP businesses to develop a Workplace or Corporate Giving programme that suits their needs. Community Foundations NZ EO, Eleanor Cater, says that thoughtful giving is the way of the future. “People like to give with purpose, since it’s a far more fulfilling way to give, both for companies and for individuals. Workplace Giving is a real win/win, nurturing a purposeful team-building culture at the same time as helping to build strong communities.”
