Variety - the Children’s Charity and Coeliac New Zealand are partnering to help families who may need support paying for essential items for their children.

With its focus on children, Variety can provide families with ongoing help with expenses related to education, health and well-being. It also provides special funding for one-off expenses. Last year, more than 40 per cent of grants distributed were for children’s health needs.

Variety Fundraising Director Parminder Morgan, who has a child with coeliac disease, understands only too well the financial burden placed on families.

“Variety is hearing from parents who have never had to ask for help before but are struggling with the recent increases in the cost of living. Families with children who have medical conditions or health issues to contend with are feeling especially stressed.

“Coeliac disease can limit your choices when it comes to nutrition for your child and often the options you are left with are the most expensive.  We hope our partnership with Coeliac New Zealand will give more choice back to families suffering financial hardship.”

What does Variety do?

Variety helps parents, caregivers and whānau to provide their children with the basics: uniforms, shoes, clothing, doctor’s fees, and prescriptions, as well as activities like school camps, sports and extra-curricular activities.  It does this by matching a child to an individual sponsor through its Kiwi Kid Sponsorship programme. The sponsor provides regular funding for the child, which parents and caregivers can use to buy what their child needs.  Kiwi Kid Sponsorship provides for children throughout their school years – from 4 to 18.

Variety funds one-off needs through an Individual Grants programme for children from newborns to 18 years.  These grants provide support for children’s health, medical and disability needs, for therapy and for digital and other educational tools.  Individual grants are assessed and awarded quarterly.

What you should know

If you or someone you know needs support to help pay children’s school expenses or meet health and disability needs, you can find out more at:  https://www.variety.org.nz/get-support/find-support

Parents and caregivers can get support for all the children in their care.

How do I apply for Kiwi Kid Sponsorship? 

1. 1. 1. Go into the Variety website – https://www.variety.org.nz and create an account.
      2. Fill in an application form. You will need to attach these documents to your application:
      3. What happens next? When we receive an application, an email is sent telling the parent or caregiver that the child is on the waiting list.  It can take 1-6 months to match a child with a sponsor, but we work hard to get children sponsored as soon as possible.