Charity comes from Latin noun ‘caritas’ derived from the adjective ‘carus’ meaning ’dear’ but originally meaning ‘Christian love of your fellow human beings.’

In America, post-Thanksgiving they celebrate Giving Tuesday, a day created with the purpose of providing the giving season with a kick-start to help those in need and to remind people about holidays being more than just a means to commercialisation and consumerism. Celebrations include fundraising, assistance to local hospitals, blood drives, food provision via local pantries, helping children buy books, helping animal shelters and providing food to the less fortunate. There are no rules to celebrate this day; all that matters is for you to be generous to all.

We don’t need to wait for a specific day or time to make a contribution to community; it can be done at anytime and anywhere. What matters is the person's intent and motivation. Charity is a reason for happiness whether done financially, physically or by any other means. Being generous and charitable brings immense joy.

Every year NZMWF and APW get together and consider an International and National cause to help women, children and families. Proceeds raised via fundraising are shared equally between each cause.

Our Special Projects for this year were chosen and endorsed at last year’s NZMWF National Convention. Our national cause is for ATWC (Anglican Trust for Women and Children). They provide emotional and practical support in the areas of parenting skills, child behaviour, relationship issues, early childhood, education, abuse, neglect, family violence, separation, loss, grief, poverty and housing. They help parents, families and caregivers to gain the life skills they need to improve the lives and futures of the children in their care.

We work closely with CWS and for our overseas project this year we are looking at a theme relating to Family Wellbeing for women and girls impacted by Covid-19 in the Pacific Islands. At the time of Convention, Fiji was hit badly and over time more of our Pacific nations are being affected by Covid.

NZMWF together with our sisters in APW find ways to fundraise to help these special projects. We encourage you to support your local fellowships in their fundraising efforts. We welcome any ideas you wish to share for discussion at our next Special Project for 2023 meeting.