Leeann Watson: The Influencers

At this time of the year, it’s important that we also help those less fortunate. Not-for-profits are a vital thread in the social fabric of our community. However, they are also often the organisations that are the humblest – the ones that fly under the radar, whispering their success stories, when they have every reason to shout them from the rooftop.

That’s why I was so pleased to see the Christchurch City Mission win the Champion Canterbury Community Impact Award for the medium/large enterprise category, and why I am so happy to lend my voice to raise awareness of their Back to School programme.
The Christchurch City Mission has seen year-on-year demand increases for their support, which is compounded at this time of the year with Christmas and the significant financial outlay for families at the start of the school year.

To help ease this pressure, the Christchurch City Mission offers practical assistance through the purchasing of school related items, such as uniforms, shoes, stationery and other curricular material. In 2012, the cost to deliver this initiative was almost $86,000, which supported 140 people. By 2017, that cost had jumped to over $274,000, supporting 470 people.

This increase in demand shows the significant need in our community for this support. So, this summer, we encourage you to show your support – whether it’s through volunteering, donations or funding. The Christchurch City Mission measures success not solely by the statistics, but by the connections made and the self-worth restored to someone’s life, and that’s more than worthy of our support.