Many families are looking at an outlay of hundreds of dollars per child at the start of the school year. Hardworking parents and caregivers still struggle, despite budgeting carefully for their children’s return to the classroom, to pay for stationery and uniforms. There may be other costs, such as camp fees, subject and examination fees, or a digital learning device.

For the children, the real cost can be their sense of belonging – it’s hard to be the odd one out. Being able to start the school year with a correct uniform, the right books, and the same opportunities as their classmates can make all the difference.

The best way to help is through our Kiwi Kid Sponsorship programme. This gives families the ability to access funding throughout the year for costs like examination fees and class trips.

If you’d prefer to make a one-off donation to our Back to School Appeal, we would really appreciate it! You’d be helping children to access the things they urgently need for school.

If you’d like to ease the burden for a family in need of a school uniform, the best option is to contact the school directly. They will have a good idea of which students are in need, and whether the item and sizing are appropriate. Second-hand uniforms can often be made available at a lower cost to struggling families if you would like to sell the uniform through the school uniform shop.

Due to the size of our team, postage costs, and because the requirements of each student differ depending on grade and school, we are unable to send on donated stationery. A donation to our Back to School appeal could help provide a Kiwi kid with the exact school supplies that they need.

Thanks so much for the difference you’re already making! You’re helping the child you sponsor to have access to the things they need for school and home, throughout the year.

A full 75% (or more) of your donations is used to provide much-needed items and opportunities for the child. The remaining amount is used to meet their needs in other ways, provide services to their caregivers, and support our wider work.

You can claim a 33.3% tax rebate for donations. At the end of each tax year (in April) Variety will send you an annual tax receipt. If you wish, this rebate can be donated back to Variety so we can help more Kiwi kids in need.

Variety does not receive any government funding – it’s our wonderful supporters who make our work possible.

There are some other organisations doing good work for children in New Zealand. Some provide items in bulk for large numbers of children, and others serve a specific group of kids in a particular set of circumstances.

Variety Kiwi Kid Sponsorship is unique, because we recognise that while many children are in need, not all children need the same things. We accept applications for help from across the country, then we assess each child’s individual needs and respond accordingly, providing targeted, flexible support.