Sunrise team puts their money where their mouth is

28 May 2021 - Sunrise Foundation SF donors May21 web

The board and staff at Sunrise have donated over $360,000 to causes they care about through Sunrise. l-r June Hall, David Clark, Richard Briant, Kerry Taggart, Reweti Ropiha, Glenda Stokes, John Clarke (chair) and Colin Christie (deputy chair) (absent Lilian Baldwin Tangaere, Dame Bronwen Holdsworth and Joe Martin).

All of the voluntary board at Sunrise, and our two part-time staff members, are Sunrise donors.

John Clarke, Sunrise chair, says “it’s not a prerequisite that if you’re on the board or work for Sunrise you have to donate. We all believe in Sunrise and so therefore donating not just our time, but also our money, is something everyone naturally wants to do.”

“I’m proud all of our team donate to Sunrise. Together we have donated over $360,000 since we started six years ago. We’re passionate about Sunrise and I think it shows we believe in what we are doing, we put our money where our mouth is.”

Everyone donates to different causes and in different ways, some giving annual one-off donations and others regularly through workplace giving.

Dame Bronwen Holdsworth, Sunrise trustee, established the Arts Fund, which has also been supported by trustee June Hall.

As a musician herself Dame Bronwen believes “vibrancy and diversity of the arts is a vital component in enhancing the cultural, social and economic life of our community”.

“Creativity is an integral part of every aspect of our lives, through all stages of education,
culture and technology. I want to support the talent in our region who are contributing to the wealth and diversity of our magnificent artistic and cultural traditions.

"I hope other lovers of the arts will join us and donate to the Arts fund too.”

Sunrise marketing manager, Kerry Taggart, gives each pay day through Sunrise workplace giving. She originally donated to Sunrise’s General Fund and when Ngatapa Rugby and Associated Sports Club (Ngatapa) established their fund, she decided to donate to them.

“Ngatapa is a family orientated club, my kids love it, so it was a no brainer for me to donate my workplace giving to them. I give $10 a week, which I don’t even notice, but that’s $520 a year that’s helping to build a fund for Ngatapa’s future.”

“I work part-time and have two teenagers, and they cost me a lot of money! I don’t have the means to make large donations so I give a little bit each week. It’s incredible that in the time I’ve been with Sunrise I’ve donated $2,700 without even realising it or feeling the pinch. I also donate annually to the fund for Poverty Bay A&P Association by adding an extra donation when I do my membership.”

All of the team at Sunrise donate to different causes that have funds at Sunrise, which include the funds for Gisborne Boys’ High School, Dialysis Tairāwhiti, Gisborne Rowing Club, Poverty Bay Golf Club, Hospice Tairāwhiti, Tairāwhiti Outward Bound, Tairāwhiti Community Law Centre, Stroke Tairāwhiti, Ngatapa, Waipaoa Farm Cadet Training, Poverty Bay A&P Association, the General and Arts Funds.

That’s the beauty of Sunrise, you can support causes that are close to home and close to your heart.