A birthday cake is a given each year, so it's confronting to realise that many children in New Zealand don't enjoy one on their birthday. Worse still, some never have. Waikato-based The Cake Detective believes all children should experience a birthday cake made with love, just for them. They work alongside organisations such as Rainbow Place, Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, Child Cancer Foundation and many more. The cakes are works of art and tailored to children's interests and age. You can make a one-off donation or donate ingredients, and occasionally you can help out by baking and decorating cakes.
Big Buddy
Big Buddy finds father figures for boys without dads - and we don't need another expensive university study to tell us the impact that positive male role models have on boys. To date, Big Buddy has matched over 1000 Big Buddies with Little Buddies across Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga and Wellington, with future plans for Christchurch. Becoming a Big Buddy gives a boy without a father figure someone to look up to, builds their confidence and resilience, and helps boys make better life choices. Becoming a Big Buddy will change two lives for the better: theirs and yours.
Support Social Entrepreneurs
If you don't have the time to get involved or the money to donate regularly, where you shop can make a big impact with many New Zealand businesses putting social entrepreneurship at the forefront of their business model.
Comfi is New Zealand's first online bed store with a social purpose, donating pillows and their New Zealand made wool beds to children who don't have their own bed. If anything, home isolation has highlighted how many of our country's children don't have a bed to call their own.
Downlights NZ produces beautifully fragrant, hand-poured soy candles. The entire manufacturing process supports the development of a variety of workplace skills for people with Down syndrome and intellectual or learning disabilities.
Dignity is creating a world of period equity through its Buy-One, Give-One and gifting initiatives, tackling inequity and period poverty. Not just limited to third-world countries, period poverty prevents girls from attending school, participating in extracurricular activities and causes financial stress for families. Dignity works with New Zealand menstrual products including Oi menstrual cups, pads and tampons and AWWA period-proof underwear.
The New Year break is perfect for thinking about what lights you up and how you can be of service. Being involved guarantees a sense of achievement and purpose, which is infinitely better than another failed resolution.
