Altrusa Te Awamutu is searching for worthy causes to donate to

Altrusa Te Awamutu members packing distraction packs. Photo / Supplied

Altrusa Te Awamutu is again looking to hold its popular Garden Ramble on the first Sunday of November.

Committee member Alison Todd says, “We are looking for people and worthy organisations to be this year’s recipients.”

“We like to keep our donations local, but often if there is a national cause that impacts the community, we do donate to those causes as well,” says Alison.

In previous years, Altrusa has donated to: Citizens Advice Bureau Te Awamutu, Te Awamutu Boxing Academy, Life Education Trust Hamilton, Loving Arms, Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, Assistance Dogs New Zealand, Cancer New Zealand, Waikato Women’s Refuge and Starship Hospital.

So far, no new or existing organisation has applied for money and Altrusa is urging community members to apply on their behalf.

Most of the funds is donated locally, with a proportion raised from the Garden Ramble allocated to other Altrusa committees to fund community projects. This allows individuals to also apply.

Kids are able to apply for funding in order to attend local or international events that go towards something aspirational they are aiming for that enhances their learning or sets an example for others. For example, they may not have all the funding in place.

Altrusa Te Awamutu strongly supports literacy and numeracy initiatives and runs Books for Babes, donating a new book to each newborn at Te Awamutu Birthing for the past few years. It gave out about 400 books last year.

It also works closely with other local initiatives such as Muffins for Mums for parents/whanau who have newborns in ICU, “so they do not have to leave their child’s side to go get something to eat”, says Alison. So far it has baked more than 50 dozen muffins.

It has created “distraction packs”, which have toys and colouring books designed for children. This year Altrusa sent 50 of these packs to Victim Support and 30 to Waikato Women’s Refuge. It also sent 60 packs to Te Karaka Area School north of Gisborne to help children there.

Altrusa Te Awamutu members also donate food to the Te Awamutu Combined Churches Foodbank on an ongoing basis.

“There may be smaller groups out there who do not know to apply for help and need the funding,” says Alison. “We need to hear from you.”

For those looking to apply, email altrusata@gmail.com a quick letter outlining what the money donated will go towards.

If you want to know more or join the members of Altrusa Te Awamutu, please reach out and attend a couple of meetings held on the first Monday at the Te Awamutu Club for free.