Kia ora koutou,
It's been a huge few months for Kids in Need Waikato. From delivering our 10,000th care pack, to hosting our inaugural Gala, celebrating our volunteers, and welcoming even more tamariki and whānau into the KIN family - your support is helping us reach more people than ever before.
Because of you we have been able to distribute 1031 care packs filled with essentials and special items that support not just the children receiving them, but the whole household.
As you read through this update, you'll see how the community continues to rally behind Kids in Need and the tamariki and caregivers we support - through donations of clothing, shoes and other items, volunteers giving their time and heart, and partners and businesses choosing to stand alongside us.
We are excited to announce Colour Cambridge is back for a third year! This is our annual fundraiser and we'd love to see you there! GET YOUR TICKETS HERE.
Thank you for helping us make a real difference.
With love from the whole Kids in Need team.
IMPACT (AS AT 31 AUGUST 2026)
ANNUAL REPORT
Our latest Annual Report is here, pulling together a year of care packs, connection and community across the Waikato and Rotorua.
You can read the full report HERE.
It's a chance to see, in one place, just how far this community's support goes.
LEGACY GALA
On 29 August we hosted the inaugural Kids in Need Waikato Legacy Gala, an event dedicated to raising funds to secure permanent ownership of 118 Fencourt Road, Cambridge. This property has been the heart of KIN Waikato for years, and owning it outright means long-term stability for the tamariki and whānau who rely on us.
The evening brought our community together to hear the story behind the Project, and together $54,185 was raised towards it. Ngā mihi to everyone who joined us, whether at the table, behind the scenes, or cheering us on from afar.
View the photo gallery HERE. Thanks to Katie Hurlow Photography for these amazing photos.
WINTER CAMPAIGN
This year’s Warmer Winter campaign asked our community to help us keep tamariki in care warm, and you answered. Over the last few months we have been overwhelmed with support through donated clothing, sock and undie drives, and financial donations that help us fill the care packs.
THANK YOU to everyone who donated, shared or simply took the time to read a post. It made a real difference to the tamariki we support this winter.
10,000TH CARE PACK
In June we hit a milestone that means the world to our team: our 10,000th care pack. Ten thousand personalised care packs delivered to tamariki and rangatahi in care across the region since 2018.
Behind every pack is a child who needs extra support and care, and behind every pack is a community that steps up to help make that happen.
This milestone belongs to every single person who has helped us show up for children and caregivers over the years. We wish the need wasn’t so great. But while it exists, we’ll keep going - one child, one caregiver and one care pack at a time.
VOLUNTEER FEEDBACK
Earlier this year we asked our shed volunteers to tell us how things are going, and the response was fantastic. Of those who responded, the results were overwhelmingly positive, with volunteers telling us they feel valued, well supported and proud to be part of KIN.
We have an amazing volunteer team that extends beyond the shed and we are so grateful to each and every one.
BRIAN PERRY CIVIL
We were extremely fortunate to have some of the Brian Perry Civil team onsite for nearly 7 weeks, making a huge impact on how we operate. Projects that have been sitting on our to-do list for years have been completed.
Here are just a few of the projects that they’ve been able to complete:
New book shelves, a new office space, new toy shelves and refurbishing the summer house.
In addition to this, the team at Brian Perry Civil have also started creating an amazing bike track. This has been a huge piece of work including removing hedging, updating and expanding the bike shed and prepping the track for concrete - we can’t wait to see this in use in the coming months.
This September, the Brian Perry Civil team are challenging themselves to complete a combined 500km at the Blue Lakes 24 Hour Challenge. Made up of runners and walkers, their team will work together to reach the 500km target, all while raising funds for Kids in Need.
Find out more on their Givealittle page.
We are so grateful for their time, skills and energy; it is community support like this that keeps things moving behind the scenes and helps us get more care to the kids who need it most.
KIN DAY OUT AT THE MOVIES
In the July school holidays, thanks to the generous support of SkyCity Hamilton Community Trust, a group of 42 caregivers and tamariki headed to Tivoli Cinema in Cambridge for a special screening of Toy Story 5.
Popcorn, ice cream, and a great movie made for a perfect day out. Moments like these matter, giving our whānau a chance to relax, laugh and simply enjoy being kids (and big kids) together.
NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK
National Volunteer Week was a wonderful opportunity to say thank you to the people who regularly give their time so generously to Kids in Need Waikato. We marked the occasion with our Mid Winter Christmas Lunch, bringing volunteers together for kai, connection and a bit of festive cheer in the middle of winter.
It was a small way of showing our appreciation for a group of people who make so much of our work possible.
IN OUR COMMUNITY
We are constantly overwhelmed by the support from our community, who continue to come up with creative and meaningful ways to show their support. Here are some recent highlights:
Oxford Pies x The Breeze Limited Edition Pies
We are so excited to be part of this fundraiser again! With 3 amazing offerings this year, they are on a mission to raise $18,000 for Kids in Need and they are over halfway! This year’s flavours are Beef, Bacon & Cheese Roll, Mince & Double Cheese Pie and Choc-Berry Brownie Cans!
You can purchase pies from selected shops across the region as well as their website: https://www.oxfordpies.co.nz/shop/
Thank you Oxford Pies and The Breeze for supporting Kids in Need!
Walk to Talk
Our team are looking forward to taking part in the 2026 Ōhaupō Walk to Talk 12 Hour Relay Event on Saturday 26 September 7am-7pm.
Register your team HERE for just $50 and head along to support Kids in Need Waikato (Fundraising charity) & Rural Support (Advocacy charity).
This is a fun and inclusive family-friendly community event and will go ahead rain or shine! Get your team together and join us to support children being raised in care.
One Motion x Eventi Fun Run
This was an amazing event hosted by One Motion and Eventi that brought together over 200 participants at Lake Te Koo Utu. Runners, walkers, kids and dogs all came together to support the day, filling the lakefront with amazing energy and community spirit.
With some amazing sponsors on board and fantastic support from everyone who took part, the $11,340 raised from the event will support tamariki and caregivers across our region.
Ngā mihi nui T and Britt Te Patu and all of the event supporters for bringing this to life for Kids in Need Waikato.
PAINTING FOR A PURPOSE
Pick up a paintbrush and help us create a lasting home for Kids in Need Waikato! Painting for a Purpose is a creative fundraising concept developed by Harcourts Kevin Deane Real Estate, inviting artists, community groups and everyday supporters to transform a vase into a one-of-a-kind artwork.
Local Raglan artist Jo Gallagher has completed this beautiful floral vase for the campaign - showing how creativity can make a meaningful difference. The finished vases will be auctioned to support The Legacy Project and help secure 118 Fencourt Road as our permanent home.
Find out more and join the campaign HERE.
VEHICLE SPONSORS
We are so grateful to our incredible vehicle supporters and sponsors! Our vehicles play a vital role in delivering care packs, collecting donations, transporting resources, attending community events, and connecting with caregivers throughout Waikato and Rotorua.
The generosity of our vehicle sponsors and supporters helps cover the ongoing costs of keeping our fleet on the road.
THANK YOU
We'd like to thank the following groups for their financial contribution to Kids in Need Waikato (April-August):
Also a big thank you to all of the businesses that took part in the 2026 Get Active Campaign: Sentinel Homes, PKF Hamilton Ltd, Foley Douglas, Point B Strategic Marketing, Maisey Harris & Co, Frank Risk Management, Direct Advisory Ltd, Braun Bond & Lomas, DTI Lawyers Ltd.
Thank you to the following businesses who choose to support Kids in Need on an ongoing basis:
We are so grateful for the incredible grants from the following groups:
Kids in Need are so appreciative of the recent donations from Zuru and Grin.
HOW CAN YOU HELP THIS MONTH?
Since January, 1031 children have received a personalised care pack - each one a reminder that there is a village supporting them. Your donation can provide clothing, toiletries and comfort items for children in care.
Donate now to sponsor a care pack and make an immediate difference.
Thank you for your ongoing support with donations of preloved and brand new items. These are the items we are most in need of at the moment - you can drop off to any of the locations listed on our website.
