Winter Update

A vote that changed lives, new business breakthroughs, and one mother's tribute to her son.

One of the most underrated benefits of working for a community foundation is witnessing the many glimmers of humanity around us. Our last quarter has been defined by second-hand joy – the gentle uplift that comes from being close to good people who show up, day after day, for our region.

The inaugural Impact100 Canterbury Grant Award Breakfast was nourishing in every sense, thanks to sponsor JBWere and a star team at The George. Finalists Aviva, One Mother to Another, and Hoa Motuhake Sports Trust dazzled us with their proposals, followed by an insightful panel discussion led by Nicola Toki. Read on to discover who received the $27,000 major grant, collectively raised by our founding Impact100 Canterbury members in this milestone first year. 

Another meaningful milestone has been the launch of the Life Fulfilled Fund, seeded by a courageous Cantabrian mother in memory of her son. Focused on strengthening critical gaps in Canterbury’s mental health support systems, the Fund was opened for donations on Mother’s Day and continues to grow towards a brighter future where every life is valued and supported. 

June marked National Volunteer Month, and we are deeply grateful to the many Kiwis who give their time so generously. First and foremost, our Board – Anake Goodall, Colin Mansbridge, Annabel Holland, Lucy-Mary Mulholland, Pauline Cotter, David Tikao, Tania Anderson, Jonny Love, Mariann Matai, and Chris Selbie – whose time and wisdom are freely given on behalf of our foundation and the wider Canterbury community. We’re also lucky to count many more volunteers among our peers, partners, mentors and friends: ngā mihi nui ki a koutou katoa.

We were encouraged by Christchurch City Council’s continued confidence in our mahi, confirming operational funding for the 2026–27 financial year. This support strengthens our ability to build on the success of our rebrand and continue connecting local generosity with our region’s evolving needs.

As always, if something in this update resonates, you have an idea you'd like to discuss, or if you’d like to explore a partnership with Kura Tāwhiti, we’d be delighted to hear from you. 

The Room Where it Happened: Highlights from the Impact100 Canterbury Grant Award Breakfast

On 17 June, Impact100 Canterbury members cast a vote that would transform the lives of countless others. Hosted by The George Hotel and sponsored by JBWere, the inaugural grant award breakfast filled our cups and hearts as we heard proposals from Aviva, One Mother to Another, and Hoa Motuhake Sports Trust, for high-impact projects supporting women and whānau in Canterbury. 

Hoa Motuhake was voted major grant recipient for 2026, with $27,000 awarded to support 30 tamariki through sports participation and mentoring. Aviva and One Mother to Another each received grants of $2,500 to support their mahi this year. Congratulations and thank you to all three finalists for the time and energy it took to present, and for all that you do for our community.

We were also fortunate to hear from founding members Karen Hattaway, Gabrielle Boyd, and Rebecca Inch in a panel discussion led by Impact100 Canterbury’s newest ambassador, Nicola Toki. Read our blog here for more of their insights, the full event programme, and how to join Impact100 Canterbury. 

Life Fulfilled: A Tribute and a Promise

On Mother’s Day, we were privileged to announce the official launch of the Life Fulfilled Fund, established through a seed donation from a Canterbury mother whose son took his own life. In his memory, and in recognition of her extraordinary strength and bravery, the fund will support charities across the wider Christchurch region working to strengthen whānau wellbeing, address addiction, champion mental health awareness, and help prevent suicide.

By donating today, you can honour this mother’s courage and help build a community where every life is valued and every person feels supported. Your gift will help ensure that, in someone’s darkest moment, there are hands ready to help lift them back up.

Women Entrepreneurs Fund Winners

Thanks to the continued support and vision of donor Joy Shivas, we have three more remarkable entrepreneurs to celebrate. Since 2022, Joy's Women Entrepreneurs Fund has supported dozens of female founders with $10,000 grants for living expenses – a real game changer in closing the startup funding gap. Joining their ranks this year are Lizzy Leonard, Michelle Chim, and the founders of Orchid Horizon.

Lizzy Leonard

After suffering from debilitating period pain and headaches, Lizzy has created a platform that generates wholefood bulk cooking recipes and grocery lists tailored to women’s hormonal phases. Read more about Lizzy here.

Michelle Chim

Michelle's 'Papercup' phone is a simple landline solution for families who want their kids to be reachable and connected, without the distraction of apps, internet, and unlimited screen time. Find out more here.

Orchid Horizon

Zaskia Katzke, Lee-Anne Hefer and Debby Hoffman, aka 'Orchid Horizon', have co-developed two unique digital products: a journaling platform for futures prop traders, and a forward-thinking budgeting and home management app. Read their story here.

Emergency Fund Forecast

Back in March, we activated an emergency fund to provide rapid financial aid to conservation groups undertaking track repairs and other biodiversity work on Te Pātaka o Rākaihautū Banks Peninsula. Now, as repairs continue to progress, our focus is shifting from recovery to resilience. 

The February storm caused more than $500,000 of damage to Banks Peninsula in just 48 hours. Crucially, every dollar spent on recovery is a dollar not invested in predator control, native planting, or routine track maintenance, threatening future recreation opportunities and environmental wellbeing. By donating to the Banks Peninsula Storm Resilience Fund, you'll help reopen tracks, strengthen the trail network for future weather events, and ensure local reserves can continue their mahi sustainably. 

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported the fund so far. We are especially grateful to Macpac for its generous corporate donation and for helping share the campaign message in store and on social media. Every contribution, from donations to advocacy to just spreading the word, will help our Peninsula weather whatever's to come. 

Onwards and Upwards for Kura Tāwhiti

We are pleased to announce a further $220,000 in operational funding has been confirmed by the Christchurch City Council for the 2026-27 financial year. We warmly thank the Council for this support, which comes from the Capital Endowment Fund. This will enable us to continue our mission of growing giving to benefit communities in Christchurch, Selwyn, and Waimakariri now and for generations to come.