Ranui's unsung heroes have been rewarded with a much-needed community grant, writes Joanna Davies.
Ranui's main street is quiet. A few cars are parked outside the shops and a couple of people meet outside the cafe beside the library.
But inside the Ranui Action Project office, work continues as normal to make the area a better place to live, and the suburb's youth will now benefit from a $5000 grant.
Project chairwoman Pene Burridge says the funding will go towards the Ranui youth mentoring programme.
"The group has been running for over eight years on little to no funding at all," she says.
"Before that there was nothing for youth in the area and, since it started, more and more young people are getting involved."
The group, led by local social workers, looks after young people and helps them make good decisions.
The $5000 grant to the mentor scheme is one of four Karma Funds to community groups around Auckland by Localist, a directories division of New Zealand Post.
Chief executive Blair Glubb says the organisation established the Karma Fund so locals could nominate volunteer groups and projects within their communities.
"Thousands of people contributed hundreds of ideas, and dozens of projects from Long Bay in the north to Pukekohe in the south were finally nominated," says Mr Glubb. "Locals know best what's happening in their neighbourhood, and we set up the Karma Fund to acknowledge this."
Nominations were made through a Facebook page, and four community leaders picked the final recipients.
Henderson-Massey Local Board's chairwoman, Vanessa Neeson, who helped choose the winners, says the fund is a great initiative. "It has come at a time when some local communities really need support and promotion for the valuable things they are doing."
Because of the success of the inaugural Karma Fund, Localist plans to make the donations three times a year.
Karma before the storm
Other Auckland Karma Fund recipients:
The Birkdale Early Learning Community Creche on the North Shore. Part of the Birkdale/
Beach Haven Community Project, it was established more than 30 years ago to provide quality care and education for local children.
Supercity Boxing and Fitness, based in Mt Wellington. Established last year, the community gym provides training and general fitness for 6- to 16-year-olds.
St Peter's Anglican Church, Pakuranga, runs the Supporting Parents Alongside Children's
Education (SPACE) programme, targeted at first-time parents with newborn children.
Just desserts for best of West
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.