COVID-19 Recovery Fund Update and Marae Care Packs

Posted on: 28/02/22

The Northland COVID-19 Recovery Fund was created in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of $103,500 has been raised so far. Nearly $70,000 has been distributed as grants to community groups and individuals in dire need of support. Requests for help are still coming in regularly, and the fund is starting to run low.

Money from the fund has contributed to providing essential services to support our most vulnerable Northland communities as they deal with COVID-19. Funding has also been provided to Northland DHB patients struggling to cope with the health and economic effects of COVID-19 while also dealing with existing health problems. As a result of the Omicron variant outbreak, our most vulnerable communities’ need for support remains great.

The Recovery Fund’s supporters include The Tindall Foundation, Clare Foundation, The Warehouse, Countdown, and many generous Northland individuals. We are grateful to you all! To date, almost 80 individuals have received grants up to the value of $500 each. Those in need have been identified via applications of support from the Northland DHB Social Workers. Nina Karwowski (Northland DHB Social Worker) recently sent us this email about a fund recipient:

“I just saw XXX and he had been given the vouchers last night which I wasn’t aware of. He is so touched he couldn’t stop tears of gratitude! Please pass on to the Foundation team how much your support means to recipients – and I get the pleasure of seeing patients’ joy and gratitude; it touches my heart and gives the soul a boost. Thank you to all involved, your help is much, much appreciated!!”.

Without the donors, this kind of support would not be possible. The Northland DHB Social Worker Professional Lead Te Ami Henare-Toka recently said: “Social workers often comment on how fantastic it is to have this resource to be able to help whānau out with a significant and concrete resource when they (the patient) are up against it all, and have a serious health event that brings them into hospital adding to their stressors.”

Here are two examples of the type of support that patients and communities have received via the fund.

Access to cancer treatment supported

One of our recent oncology patients’ lives rurally in the Far North has little family support and has to travel great distances to receive treatment. The patient is currently having difficulty paying for petrol and groceries and unfortunately they have exhausted all other sources of support. The Covid-19 Recovery Fund has been able to support the patient with $500 worth of petrol and grocery vouchers. Their social worker says: “With the Covid-19 pandemic, there are now some significant restrictions that impact patients’ care and their support teams. With the restrictions of no visitors in the treatment area, it has increased the need for patients to buy extra food for visitors whilst they wait outside. The cost of petrol is also a massive barrier – with the price of petrol increasing it has meant that patients sometimes have to delay and reschedule their various appointments to accommodate their pay days.”

Marae support care packs for whānau isolating at home

Northland Community Foundation also recently become involved with the Māori COVID-19 Vaccination Philanthropic Network. Te Tai Tokerau was identified as a significant region of need of support. Dr Moana Tane (General Manager for Te Poutokomanawa – Māori Health Directorate, currently on secondment to the Ministry of Health, Health Equity Team)
presented to the network about Tai Tokerau Māori needs. A grant of $80,000 was agreed upon by the philanthropic funders and allocated for Marae Support Care packs to help groceries and first aid essentials to be held at the Marae on behalf of whānau. Moana stated her appreciation for the support of the network: “Kia ora kōrua, thank you so much for your confirmation that the foundations would like to fund us for a total of $80,000 for our Marae Care support packs. We thank you and acknowledge your support of our eff orts with this koha. He mihi, he mihi, he mihi.”

To find out more about the COVID-19 Recovery Fund, and donate, you can go to our website here: https://northlandcommunityfoundation.org.nz/giving/funds/northland-covid-19-emergency-response-fund/

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COVID-19 Recovery Fund Update and Marae Care Packs

Posted on: 28/02/22

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