How to make Father's Day more Good

This Sunday is Father’s Day, and we’re encouraging people to celebrate with kindness! Forget the socks and the aftershave — if you were thinking of getting Dad a gift, give him the gift of giving instead! With The Good Registry’s Good Gift Cards, you can celebrate the Dad (or Dads!) in your life and let them choose causes they care about.

In the spirit of Father’s Day, we want to highlight a few of our charity partners that make a difference for Dads at challenging times, or that support children without Dads in their lives.

The Neonatal Trust

Becoming a new Dad can bring joy, but fathers often have a difficult role when their baby is born sick or prematurely. The experience can leave dads incredibly stressed, juggling the demands of their new baby/babies, partner and other children while still having to deal with other financial responsibilities. The Neonatal Trust provides support for the whole family, including dedicated support for Neonatal Dads. Their support material, Tips for Dads is written by ex neonatal Dads, and contains ideas and suggestions to help fathers on their neonatal journey. A little bit of kindness can go a long way in terms of supporting The Neonatal Trust:

• $20 provides a winter warmer pack
• $50 provides supermarket vouchers
• $2,000 can purchase a La-Z-Boy recliner for all-important Kangaroo cuddles!

Pictured is Dad Kazu with baby Ayame enjoying a Kangaroo cuddle in a comfy La-Z-Boy chair! Kazu is also wearing a pair of headphones, donated by the trust to ensure parents can stay with their babies undisturbed during ward rounds.

Big Buddy

There are many reasons why a boy might not have his father in his life. Big Buddy is one of our charity partners that makes a huge difference, by matching these boys with a volunteer Big Buddy who shows up, spends time, and comes back. They do simple things together like kick a ball, walk the dog or go to the beach. Through the Big Buddy programme, boys gain confidence, build resilience and become happier with a father figure to trust and rely on. For many, Father’s Day may shine a light on the absence of a father. For Big Buddy, it shines a light on the importance of their work, which cannot be done without the generosity of donations.

Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Aotearoa

The arrival of a baby is a huge change not just for mothers, but also for fathers. While it can bring joy, it can also add unpredictable stresses to families and whānau. About 10% of men can experience depression after childbirth, or if a mother is unwell, fathers can be forgotten, and feel under pressure trying to cope. Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Aotearoa (PADA)provides vital resources to affected families, including a range of resources and services just for Dads. PADA helps fathers understand that it’s okay to not feel well, and that there is help and support available for them and their partner. Supporting PADA allows them to help affected families through their parenting journey, enabling them to recover more quickly.

• $20 provides vital information and resources
• $50 helps organise maternal mental health seminars
• $70 helps educates health professionals and equips them with perinatal mental health tools

NPH New Zealand

For many children in Latin America, they are unable to live with their biological family, and lack the security of a loving, safe environment. NPH New Zealand provides safe and happy homes for nearly 3000 children, and also offers food, medical care and educational scholarships. Pictured below is baby Alfonso, who was found abandoned at the front gate of NPH’s children’s home in Haiti. Thanks to NPH, Alfonso is now a healthy and happy eight year old, with many wonderful father figures in his life. A little bit of kindness can go so far (all the way to Latin America!)

• $15 provides a health check up for a family in the Dominican Republic
• $40 supports one child for a month in the cholera ward at St Damien Paediatric Hospital in Haiti
• $70 can provide a child 3 healthy meals a day for three weeks in Bolivia

As Father’s Day comes around, we’re reminded of the incredible support our charity partners provide to Dads who are struggling, or for children without a Dad in their life. If you were thinking of getting your Dad a little something this weekend, you could grab him a Good Gift Card. They’re the ultimate no-waste gift, with the power to give back and really make a difference! The Neonatal Trust, Big Buddy, PADA and NPH are just four of our 65 charity partners that make the world a better place.

If you want to grab a Good Gift Card you can do that here.

To find our more about our charity partners and good ways to give, follow us on Facebook.

- By Ainsley Harris