Our service programme partners need our help
Kia ora whaanau,
While there are some benefits during a nationwide lockdown, there are also many things lost to us. For a school such as ours known for its commitment to excellence for our students across the four cornerstones of; academics, culture, sport and Christian dimension; that loss is keenly felt in the suspension of our service programmes.
Our students lose the opportunity to go “over the fence” to Fairfield and Bankwood primary schools, to play the ukulele and run art classes at St Joan’s Hospital, to feed the homeless at the Serve Trust, to assist with patient transfer at Waikato Hospital, to work with young people in the Refugee Orientation Centre and to support the work of the Hamilton Christian Foodbank.
This year, as we did last year, we have kept in close contact with our service programme partners, valuing enormously the opportunities they afford our students. In the last few days, we have been in regular communication with the manager of the Hamilton Christian Foodbank whose work we support with a provision of a weekly supply of groceries through the fundraising initiatives of our International Student Department. One of the most significant impacts of lockdown on low-income families is increased levels of food insecurity and dependency upon services such as the Foodbank for assistance. They are currently supporting more than 100 families a day in our local area; families whom we know well and whose children regularly interact with our students in a variety of different ways through our service programmes. They have asked us for some financial assistance and hence this appeal.
We are hoping to raise funds to provide basic foodstuffs such as flour, sugar, milk powder, pasta, oats, cornflakes to the Hamilton Christian Foodbank for distribution to local families in need. The Foodbank regulates the distribution of food and ensures it goes to those who need it the most.
Our senior students involved in the Mission and Outreach portfolio are leading the way with this initiative and join us in asking you all to support this appeal. The more funds we raise in the next few days, the more we can support the Foodbank during this lockdown.
Hamilton Christian Foodbank Lockdown Appeal
If you can contribute, we would be grateful. Donations can be made to St Paul’s Charity Account. Please use the following references when making your donation.
Account: Waikato Anglican College Trust 02-0320-0203376-000
Particular: 1140 298NA
Code: First initial and Last Name
Reference: FOODBANK
Thank you for your consideration and in anticipation of your generosity may we offer our sincere thanks. One of the great points of difference of St Paul’s community is our spirit of generosity and care for those beyond our bubble that we so consistently reveal in a variety of different ways.
Mā te Atua e manaaki
Ngā mihi nui
Chaplain Rev Rickman
Mission, Outreach and Service Portfolio Prefects Marcia Graafhuis and Frazer Tam