A Dose of Kiwi Kindness
We’ve reached the end of National Volunteer Week 2020 and hope you’ve enjoyed our daily stories and reflections on Te Hua o te Mahi Tahi - the Benefit of Working Together.
It’s in our DNA
Statistics show that Kiwis are a kind and philanthropic bunch by global standards.
The World Giving Index ranked us third over a 10-year period for our tendency to help strangers, donate money and volunteer our time. In fact we were the only country to rank in the top 10 in all three categories.
In our landscape of volcanoes and shifting tectonic plates, generations before us recognised the importance of community, and supporting each other when the going gets tough. It’s in our DNA to pull together in times of crisis, recognising that, but for different choices, twists or turns, that person in need could have easily have been me.
EHARA TAKU TOA I TE TOA TAKITAHI ENGARI HE TOA TAKIMANO
My strength is not that of an individual, but that of the collective
Averting a serious COVID-19 health crisis was far from good fortune. Our resolve and sense of togetherness was built for it. ‘Be kind’ they said… but we already were.
Our heartfelt thanks
We’ve saluted the tireless efforts of volunteers during lock-down, and recognise the gifts of time and resources that continue to make a difference to those facing hardship, many of them for the first time.
For every lock-down hero story we’ve told, there’s a thousand more. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for the everyday acts of kindness that got us all through.
We thank our contributors for the stories they’ve told and our VA story tellers (we have volunteers too!) for doing justice to these stories. But most of all, we thank you for the aroha, and doing what we do best … being great friends and neighbours, and taking care of our big Kiwi whānau.
"I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do."
Edward Everett Hale
If you want to help others or a cause take a look at our current volunteering opportunities to help make a difference in your community. Or if you are a non-profit organisation and need some helpers, you can find out how to add your volunteer listings here. For corporates, take a look at our employee volunteering programme to see how we can help your team help the community. Otherwise, feel free to contact us. We’d love to hear from you.
Te Hua o te Mahi Tahi - The benefit of Working Together
Article by Angela Robinson from Warbler Communications.
Warbler creates brands and communications with a heart. We make causes and organisations stand out from the crowd by finding their authentic voice and creating a dialogue around the things that make them great.
