Back to page

Foster Hope

  • Undies on the Outside....

      12 July 2017
    Main image

    We've wanted to put NEW underpants and knickers into our packs for ages but up until now had just focused on the younger kids. I put a post on our Facebook page which went a little CRAZY!!!! Within 24 hours it had been viewed over 90K times and been shared over 600 times. Who would have thought tagging The Warehouse and Kmart would have such an impact :-) At the rate we're going, we might be able to put a whole pack of undies inside each bag instead of just one or two pairs. Thank you to everyone who has added some in their cart for us.

      0 comments  |  Login to leave a comment

  • 2017 Pyjama Drive

      12 July 2017
    Main image

    We run our national winter pyjama drive from the beginning of May to the end of June each year and this year we decided to put a crazy target of 5000 up! Well it's the middle of July and they're still coming in. Last count was over 8000. Well done everyone and thank you for stepping up and making such a huge difference to so many.

      0 comments  |  Login to leave a comment

  • How old were you when you left home for the first time?

      18 May 2016
    Main image

    You may have seen or heard some of our adverts about leaving home for the first time. Foster Hope provides children with a backpack filled with items to ease their way and symbolise community support for them and their carer’s. We also create Flat Packs which help teenagers moving from care into the big wide world. We'd really love your support.

      0 comments  |  Login to leave a comment

  • YMCA Camps spots for Foster Children

      3 October 2015
    Main image

    We are fundraising the $299 to put a child in foster care on one of the fantastic YMCA holiday program camps. This is a 5 night / 6 day camp which will offer the kids the opportunity to have an absolute blast. We plan to roll this out to Grandparents Raising Grandchildren first as we feel that they're often missed out on the fostering grants and both the child and the grandparent would benefit from the holiday break. Please support us so we can place as many children as we can on the next camp.

      0 comments  |  Login to leave a comment

  • Guardian Storage comes to the rescue

      26 August 2015
    Main image

    Our Auckland and Hamilton branches are over the moon after Guardian Self Storage has given us the use of 2 of their storage units to hold all our donations until we make up our packs.

    Thank you so much for making a difference!

    http://guardianstorage.co.nz/

      0 comments  |  Login to leave a comment

  • Pyjama Drive a success

      28 May 2015
    Main image

    Our 2015 nationwide pyjama collected over 3000 pairs of new PJ's which we were able to distribute around the country to children already in foster care.

    Here are some ways you helped us pass our goal of collecting 2,000 pairs this year

    By donating Pyjamas: These could be from you personally or why not pop a box up at your work / gym / hairdresser / kindergarten / school or ask your friends to help on our behalf.

    By holding a ‘Pyjama Day’: Have you ever wished you could go to school/work in your pyjamas, well now you can and for a good cause too! Just set a date where the staff/pupils of your organisation are welcome to wear their pyjamas for the day by ringing a gold coin donation. Once it’s done, collect up the donations and put them into our bank account or Givealittle account using the reference ‘

    Pyjama Day’. It couldn’t be easier or more fun!

    By donating money:

    All monetary donations will go towards purchasing pyjamas if you put PYJAMAS as the reference.

    You can donate directly into our bank account Foster Hope Charitable Trust. Please state “Pyjamas” in the reference field and email your details to us for receipting and tax purposes.

    Foster Hope is committed to making positive change to the lives of many children in foster care.

    Everyone can help as there are many small ways to make a difference. If you would like to participate in anyway, please visit www.fosterhope.co.nz

    for more information or keep an eye on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/fosterhopenz

      0 comments  |  Login to leave a comment

  • Our 8 branches nationwide are growing stronger by the day

      9 March 2015

    Since we started Foster Hope in Auckland in Feb 2010, we have added branches in Northland, Wellington, Christchurch, Otago, West Coast, Waikato and Marlborough which have allowed us to spread our backpacks far and wide.

    Each branch collects donations of products and cash individually and have been growing steadily over the last few years thanks to their wonderful volunteers and coordinators. Wellington and Northland are in a great position with their lockable storage space which allows them to collect items throughout the year instead of a mad rush just before a pack making day.

    Our Auckland branch will be making up 500 in September 2015 which will be handed out to agencies like CYFS and Barnardos who in turn give them to the children in need going into care.

    I just want to say a big thank you to everyone who supports the work that we do as we couldn't do it without you.

      0 comments  |  Login to leave a comment

  • Update for 28/09/2013

      28 September 2013

    On the 26th of Sept 2013 we went to Belmont Intermediate School on the North Shore and a class of year 9 students helped us make up 225 packs. Huge thank you to the students, teachers and Foster Hope volunteers who helped out to make this possible. We were able to distribute these to a range of agencies around Auckland from Orewa to Manukau.

      0 comments  |  Login to leave a comment

  • Update for 13/06/2013

      13 June 2013

    Thank you so much to everyone who has supported us this year. We've been growing steadily and now have branches in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Tauranga, Northland and Marlborough. We've had fantastic support from local communities which has allowed us to make up and distribute even more packs to children going into foster care. Thank you again.

      0 comments  |  Login to leave a comment

  • Update for 15/04/2013

      15 April 2013

    After a fantastic 2012 pyjama drive where we collected over 2000 pairs of new PJ's around New Zealand we are once again on the hunt for PJ's from age 0 right up to 18 years. You'd be amazed at how a little thing like a brand new pair of pyjamas can mean so much to a child who has grown up shifting from home to home and often just given an old t-shirt to sleep in. Foster Hope is spreading around the country and we now have co-ordinators in Northland, Auckland, Tauranga, Central North Island, Wellington, Picton, Blenheim and Christchurch. We rely completely on donations of products as well as cash so that we can go out and purchase the items needed to make up the packs that we give out to children going into foster care. Thank you very much for your support.

      0 comments  |  Login to leave a comment

  • Update for 21/05/2012

      21 May 2012

    Sweet dreams for kids in need Thousands of Kiwi kids are put into foster care every year. Many arrive in their new homes in the middle of the night with nothing but the clothing on their backs. As temperatures across the nation are dropping, Auckland charity Foster Hope is warming up for its annual Pyjama Drive. The aim is to collect a minimum of 1,000 pairs of pyjamas to give to foster children and adolescents aged 0 to 18 years. Foster Hope Chairperson Louise Allnutt says: gMany children entering care may never have owned a pair of pyjamas and a lot would never have had a brand new set of their own. Buying a pair of pyjamas is a simple thing that most people can afford to do. We want to give children in need a pair of pyjamas so that they can go to sleep knowing someone cares about them.h About 5000 children live in foster homes at any one time in New Zealand. Many children who need a new family have experienced some degree of physical, emotional or sexual abuse and neglect. Foster Hope was set up in 2010 to provide children going into foster care with the basics ? such as clothing, underwear, nappies, toothpaste and shampoo - everyday items most of us take for granted. These items are put into colourful backpacks and given to youngsters on arrival. ""Because they've been whipped away from their home so quickly, kids usually come with little or no belongings. Those who do have some clothes with them usually carry them in a rubbish sack,h says Louise, gWe set up Foster Hope because we want these children to know that someone cares. No child should be made to feel like their belongings are rubbish and caregivers should be able to focus on the emotional needs of a child, rather than having to run around doing last minute shopping.h Since the charity was set up, it has given out packs to over 1000 foster children across New Zealand. It now has four branches nationwide ? with the latest opening in Tauranga in March 2012 ? and there are plans for further expansion. Last yearfs inaugural Pyjama Drive collected over 1000 pairs. gWe are constantly amazed at the generosity of Kiwis and would love you to join us in any way you can so that we can help to make these childrenfs lives a little more bearable,h says Louise If you would like to donate a new set of pyjamas or other childrenfsf goods, visit http://www.fosterhope.co.nz"" for details of what is needed and a list of nationwide drop off points. Or email Louise Allnutt at fosterhopenz@gmail.com. To find out how to become a foster parent, call (09) 625 0550 or see: www.barnardos.org.nz http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/north-shore-times/6944871/1000-pyjamas-needed-for-cold-lonely-kids"" http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/north-shore-times/6944871/1000-pyjamas-needed-for-cold-lonely-kids

      0 comments  |  Login to leave a comment

  • Update for 20/05/2011

      20 May 2011

    Foster Hope is growing.? We now have a Wellington regional co-ordinator so all goods coming from Taupo to Wellington will be used in packs which will be?sent out within the Wellington area.? Jess is based at?342 Manly Street, Paraparaumu Beach, 5032, Paraparaumu.?Tel 027 6584522 or home is 04 298 6333. We'd also like to welcome on board, Cate Miehe from Deloittes in Auckland.? She has offered her assistance in the admin area and we are looking forward to her help to implement better systems so that we can continue to grow and help as many children as we possibly can in NZ.Thanks to a large donation on Give a little in May, we will purchase wind up torches to go inside each pack.? These torches are fantastic as you don't need to worry about batteries running flat and they can be operated by very young children. So often children in care are traumatised and afraid of the dark so these will help them to feel just that little bit safer as well as help them find their way to the bathroom in the middle of the night in a strange place.

      0 comments  |  Login to leave a comment

  • Update for 27/02/2011

      27 February 2011

    We're now up to 626 packs that we've send out since we started.? We are currently working with Ngarie, our Christchurch co-ordinator to provide supplies for foster children who have been affected by the quake.? So far we have sent nappies, wipes, hand sanitisers, toothbrushes, toothpaste and underwear.? Money collected via this Givealttle account in Feb and March will be used specifically to pay for items needed in Christchurch.

      0 comments  |  Login to leave a comment

  • Update for 02/06/2010

      2 June 2010

    Thank you so much to everyone who has donated to Foster Hope to date.? We have completed 193 kits so far with a goal of 1000 by the end of 2010. If you would like more information about what we've been up to and to see some of the fantastic donations and products?coming in, please visit our Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/kits2kids or our website http://www.fosterhope.co.nz We can be contacted directly on mailto:fosterhopenz@gmail.com Thank you again for your donations which have made everything possible. Regards Louise and Sam Foster Hope Charitable Trust

      0 comments  |  Login to leave a comment