At a time when everything feels challenging, it’s good to know there are still ways to help.
The cost of living crisis and the fuel crisis are hitting communities hard right now.
In the same way households are juggling to make ends meet, charities are having to tuck and trim, reprioritise or delay work to keep essential services going. At the same time, many are facing higher operating costs, reduced funding, and growing demand from the communities they support.
That means more competition for a limited pool of community funding, just as many grant funders, philanthropists and individual donors are also tightening their belts.
The Good Registry asked some of our charity partners to tell us how rising costs are impacting them. Responses ranged from the straightforward — “it just costs more to do everything” — to the existential: “we might have to consider stopping our services”.
Kaibosh, which rescues and redistributes surplus food to support communities and reduce waste, told us that while their own vehicle fleet is thankfully electric, many of the charities Kaibosh supports have volunteer drivers using their own cars to pick up food. Many of them are now struggling — or in some cases unable — to cover the rising cost of fuel for collections. Meanwhile, many communities require more food to distribute, whether it is topping up hungry students' pantries or providing meals to women in transitional housing.
Project Jonah, which rescues and protects marine mammals, told us they are worried that increasing costs could affect their ability to keep responding effectively to whale and dolphin strandings. While they are working to reduce costs wherever they can, costs are rising much faster than revenue. When responding to strandings, equipment needs to be mobilised quickly and often across long distances. Volunteers are asked to self-mobilise, covering their own costs. As those costs increase, some volunteers may be unable to keep meeting them.
Skylight, which provides counselling for children and families often at times of crisis, says the gap between their fixed contract funding and the real cost of delivering services is widening. They’re absorbing higher costs to get facilitators to community-based programmes in rural areas, without any corresponding increase in revenue. Add in the rising prices of other goods and services they rely on, and the cumulative pressure on their operating budget is “real and growing”.
Big Buddy, which helps connect boys without dads with caring and reliable male mentors, told us travel costs have become a barrier for new Big Buddies to put their hand up and volunteer, or to visit children and take them on outings. It is also trying to absorb dramatically increased travel costs for mentoring managers to attend home interviews for potential Big Buddies. It is managing “just” — but is concerned for the future.
It’s easy in this context to feel helpless, or hopeless.
But we can all help. And all help — big or small — makes a difference.
Donate money, even a small amount
The most pressing need for most charities is money.
Money to pay the rent. Money to pay staff. Money to give fuel vouchers to volunteers. Money to increase services to meet growing need.
The quickest and easiest way you can help is to find a charity near you, go to their website, and hit the donate now button.
Whether you can “only” give the value of a flat white, or whether you can commit a larger amount or ongoing funding, making donations has a real practical impact for charities.
And when you make a donation to a smaller charity, the moral support inherent in that gift can have its own significant impact.
Make giving part of everyday gifting
At The Good Registry, we believe giving doesn’t have to be complicated, expensive, or saved for special occasions. It can be woven into the way we already celebrate, thank and connect with each other.
If you don’t have a lot of extra money, but want to find different ways to give, you can replace ordinary gifts with charitable donations through The Good Registry.
That means money your friends or family might have spent on your birthday, wedding, Mother’s Day or other special event can go directly to a good cause.
Companies can do the same — replacing staff, customer or supplier gifts with charitable donation gift cards.
If you want to put some regularity into your giving, the One Percent Collective is also a great place to go.
Volunteer where help is actually needed
Volunteering is good too — but be purposeful.
Every charity knows the value of volunteers, but it’s important that the type of volunteering matches the charity’s needs.
Use sites and services like HelpTank or Volunteering NZ to find out who needs help, and the kind of help they need.
And if you sign up to volunteer, treat it like a paying job: show up when you say you will, and see it through.
Talk about the need
Finally, talk with others.
Talk with your friends, whānau and colleagues about the pressure charities are under. Conversations can shift awareness, and awareness can lead to action.
The more we talk about the realities facing communities and charities, the more people who are in a position to make a material difference may feel motivated to act — and the more opportunities may open up for each of us to play our own part.
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