One Percent Collective

05/10/2026

What students found in their drains was turning up at the beach too! Our partner charity, Sustainable Coastlines, worked alongside students in Tāmaki Makaurau to investigate.

Students, turned citizen scientists, surveyed litter in their school stormwater drains and at Point Chevalier Beach. What they found was strikingly similar. Food wrappers were the most common item in both. Plastic made up nearly 65% of drain litter and 75% of what washed up on the beach.

Sustainable Coastlines helped students see the connection between what happens on land and what ends up in the sea. Seeing that connection prompted students to act, from writing to their council and putting up awareness posters to advocating for reusable containers.

And the work is continuing. All three schools have kept their LittaTrap drain collectors in place and are now monitoring their drains independently.

Sustainable Coastlines enables people to look after the ocean we all love, protecting it from plastic pollution and other litter. They inspire change in mindsets, behaviour, and policy through community beach clean-ups and litter data collection.

24/09/2026

We’re celebrating Jemma Hartley, Family Support Co-ordinator with our partner charity, The Little Miracles Trust.

Jemma supports families in Christchurch Hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit during some of the most uncertain weeks of their lives.

We’re so pleased to see her recognised for the incredible support she provides to families when they need it most.

A true superstar!

20/09/2026

When grandparents suddenly become parents again, they can face a mountain of challenges. Our partner charity, Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Trust New Zealand, helps them find practical support, financial assistance and a community they can lean on. In Kaitāia, Gill is making sure local grandparents don't have to figure it all out alone.

When grandparents step in to raise their grandchildren, it often happens suddenly. They may find themselves navigating unfamiliar systems while trying to provide stability, safety and love for children who have already experienced significant challenges.

In Kaitāia, Gill is helping grandparents find their way through these challenges.

As the Support Group Coordinator for our partner charity, Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, Gill brings years of experience supporting children and families.

Although she isn't raising grandchildren herself, much of her working life has been dedicated to helping children and families. Her career has included early childhood education, family support, parenting education and trauma-informed practice.

Along the way, she's worked with foster families, supported children with complex needs and even become an international storyteller, sharing stories with communities around the world.

After experiencing a brain injury, Gill found herself looking for a new way to contribute. When a colleague from the Brain Injury Association Northland encouraged her to apply for the coordinator role with Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, she decided to give it a go.

"I was told I would be great at the position," she recalls. "So here I am."

Since joining Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, Gill has become a trusted source of support for local caregivers.

Through the Kaitāia support group, grandparents find connection, practical information and reassurance that they're not facing their challenges alone.

One family's experience has stayed with Gill.

The grandparents were caring for their grandchildren and had been struggling financially for years. Although they were entitled to financial assistance through the Unsupported Child's Benefit, they weren't receiving it.

The extra costs of raising children had put ongoing pressure on an already stretched household budget.

Recognising what the family was going through, Gill connected them with Grandparents Raising Grandchildren's advocacy service.

With the right support and guidance, the grandparents were able to access the financial assistance they were entitled to.

The difference was significant.

The extra support eased the pressure of everyday expenses and helped create greater stability for the children in their care.

What had once felt overwhelming became much more manageable.

For Gill, seeing that change made a lasting impression.

"Supporting grandparents and putting them in contact with our advocate, then seeing the positive, life-changing outcome, was very humbling. I feel very blessed to have had that experience."

Learn more about grandparents Raising Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Trust New Zealand and lend your support. www.onepercentcollective.org/charity/grandparents-raising-grandchildren

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren's services and programmes empower full-time grandparent and whānau caregivers, helping them strengthen their whānau and raising healthy and resilient tamariki and rangatahi to achieve positive outcomes in their lives.

03/09/2026

6,870kg of rescued food became 15,268 portions of nourishing kai.

That’s what happens when our partner charity, Kaibosh, keeps good food moving.

Volunteers unpack, check, wash and box rescued food before kitchen teams turn it into nourishing meals. Seasonal fruit becomes crumbles, while squishy tomatoes and damaged carrots can become ratatouille and more.

It’s mahi aroha in action, with food that might otherwise have gone to compost or animal feed instead helping nourish people in the local community.

A huge thank you to the Kaibosh volunteers and kitchen teams making it happen.

Videography captured by Keely from Musings Media.

31/08/2026

One Kitchen, 300 Lunches and a Stronger Community: When people have the chance to share kai, skills and time, good things happen.

Our partner charity, Fair Food, and Te Mātāwai are turning rescued food into meals, opportunities and stronger connections across the community.
Fair Food and Te Mātāwai are bringing people together to tackle hunger while reducing food waste.

The partnership began when Kāinga Ora created a shared kitchen in New Zealand's largest social housing community. It gave residents a place to cook, share kai and connect. But without food to cook with, the kitchen was barely being used.

That's where Fair Food stepped in. By supplying rescued kai, Fair Food has helped neighbours come together over food. Community leaders also joined a catering course run by Fair Food, giving them the skills to make a free, zero waste lunch for up to 300 people onsite each week.

Te Mātāwai residents also spend Thursday afternoons volunteering in Fair Food's Conscious Kitchen. Together, they’ve rescued nearly 50 tonnes of food this year. They also fill the local pātaka kai, helping people in the city centre access nutritious food when it's convenient for them.

This two-way partnership has become an important part of helping improve access to food for this community.

But Te Mātāwai's impact goes well beyond the kitchen.

Before he started volunteering, Rangi was spending much of his time at home. Now, he's a key leader in Fair Food's hospitality skills programme, teaching rangatahi how to work in a commercial kitchen.

He's well known for his fry bread, but that's not all he brings to the table. Rangi also shares recipe tips through Fair Food's zero waste video series. He's become a familiar face across many of the community kitchens in the city centre, offering support and building whanaungatanga along the way.

Te Mātāwai's generosity and commitment are strengthening their own neighbourhood and Fair Food's wider community.

At Fair Food's Matariki celebration, Te Mātāwai was recognised with the Tupuārangi Outstanding Volunteer Award, alongside a network of more than 600 monthly volunteers.

By sharing kai, skills and time, Fair Food and Te Mātāwai are helping people feed their neighbours, reduce food waste and build a stronger community, one bite at a time.

‍Learn more and lend your support to Fair Food:

Fair Food is changing lives one bite at a time. We’re a creative solution to the massive problem of food waste and food insecurity in Aotearoa.

25/08/2026

Take a sneak peak inside a food parcel from our partner charity, DCM Wellington. These food parcels provide a huge part of the support that helps whānau into housing and helps to keep them housed.

Learn more about DCM and lend your support. https://www.onepercentcollective.org/charity/dcm

20/08/2026

Miles is 18 and living with Down syndrome. With speech and language therapy facilitated by our partner charity, UpsideDowns, Miles is leaping towards completing year 13 in high school.

Thanks to the communication skills he has developed, Miles is hitting important literacy goals.

He loves musicals and playing basketball, and has recently started hospitality work experience.

Amazing work Miles!

Learn more and lend your support to UpsideDowns.

At UpsideDowns, we believe every child with Down syndrome deserves a voice. We're here to make that belief a reality by funding essential speech-language therapy, helping kids communicate, gain confidence, and achieve independence.

18/08/2026

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴: Our partner charity, Mixit, gives young people something we all need: a place to belong. Three parents share how connection, creativity and positive role models have helped their teenagers grow in confidence and see themselves, and the world around them, differently.

Mixit recently spoke with three parents whose teenagers are regular participants. They shared the changes they’ve seen in their young people and the difference Mixit has made.

Dulani told us:

“Mixit was the perfect place for Rivindee to find herself and her voice, become more aware and sensitive to the world and people around her, which developed her people skills. It’s where she became a confident independent young woman”.

Mark shared his son Jake’s experience:

“As a neurodiverse teenager, my son Jake has often struggled with being “different”. At Mixit, he's found a place where everyone is different, so nobody’s different. The growth in his confidence and sense of self since he joined has been exponential. Young people crave belonging and Mixit gives them that in a unique and special way”.

For Kaltam, the impact goes beyond building self-confidence. She has encouraged all of her teenagers to take part in Mixit and has seen the positive difference it can make.

“When children come to a different country and have a different religion it’s hard. They may not be around people who have mana, or in homes which value respect, so they don’t see or know how to respect their elders and young children. But those who go to Mixit they learn to respect people and it’s like family, you don’t forget that”.

Mixit also helps young people connect with and contribute to the wider community. Dulani explained:

“Mixit breaks the boundaries and divisions of colour, race, religion, gender, and socio-economic status; and creates a sense of connectedness. They invest in young people, giving them opportunities to grow and develop the skills needed to navigate the world. Mixit plants in everyone that they have the potential to think differently in any space they find themselves in. This has a ripple effect on friends, family, and communities as a whole”.

Kaltam also shared the benefits she sees reaching beyond the young people themselves.

“Mixit helps young people through talking, dancing and connecting. It’s a happy place and they are around good people who are strong role models. The kids come home better, able to communicate with their families and be good role models for others. When young people just stay at home with their small families they miss out on that”.

Mark has seen a big change in the way his son communicates and connects with others.

“I love that Mixit has given him a connection with mentor figures outside of his school and family. He comes home every week with new perspectives, deeper understanding of people, and an openness to all kinds of cultures and ways of being. In short: Mixit has changed his life in the best possible ways”.

Young people today are also facing challenges around racism, belonging and connection. Dulani observed:

“Young people of colour are experiencing an increase in racism, and a reduced sense of belonging. Mixit provides them a space where they feel valued and belonged”.

At a time when division, negative online influences and conflict can feel overwhelming, young people need positive spaces and people they can turn to. Mixit is one of those places.

Through connection, creativity and belonging, Mixit is helping young people build confidence, understand others and see what might be possible for their future. And thanks to regular giving from One Percent Collective donors, more young people can continue to find a place where they feel valued, supported and like they belong.

Acknowledgements:
Kaltam Hassan Yaya
Dulani Abeysinghe
Mark Easterbrook

Learn more about Mixit and lend your support.

Mixit uses creativity to support young people from former refugee backgrounds to help increase life skills, become stronger human beings, move forward and build their capacities to successfully integrate into our communities.

06/08/2026

Big news for Ngā Rangatahi Toa! Executive Director Huia O'Sullivan is a Top 3 finalist in the 2026 Leadership Awards. She’s been recognized in the Māori Leadership category at the Robert Walters New Zealand Leadership Awards.

This well-deserved recognition reflects years of courageous, values-led leadership and Huia's unwavering commitment to creating better futures for rangatahi. It also highlights the power of investing in strong leadership to drive lasting impact across communities.

A massive congratulations to Huia and the team. We couldn't be prouder to support their incredible kaupapa!

Learn more about Ngā Rangatahi Toa and lend your support.

Ngā Rangatahi Toa is a not-for-profit organisation that engages with vulnerable rangatahi (youth) across Tāmaki Makaurau. Through creative exploration, youth development strategies and wrap-around whānau support our beautiful rangatahi are inspired to confidently build brighter futures.

29/07/2026

A safe place to call home can change everything. Our partner charity, DCM Wellington, walks alongside people experiencing homelessness with practical support, compassion and care. Thanks to the generosity of One Percent Collective givers, J has found stability, hope and a place where he and his son can build a future.

J opens the door to his whare with a big smile and welcomes us in. It’s a crisp autumn day. His fridge is dotted with colourful magnets and the sun lights up an incredible painting on his wall.

J has been supported by DCM for over two years now, but things weren’t always like this.

I was caught in my mind, caught in my thoughts. And that's what I've struggled with for a long time. I was going from home to home, or house to house, transitional housing and all that. I sort of mucked up and got into a fight and got kicked out.

I ended up being homeless so Work and Income sent me to Loafer’s Lodge. That’s where I met a few of the guys that are with DCM. They said hey, if you’re in the same boat as us, go down and meet DCM. And sure enough, I went down and met them.

I was quite sceptical, but I felt the love and support and that drove me to stay with DCM. The compassion they showed towards me and my lifestyle, not judging me, always supportive. That’s what I loved about them.

With support from the counselling, foodbank and housing services, J has made big changes in his life.

Having that therapy has turned me into the person I am today. Just having my back is awesome. A lot of the time, I get pressure into going backwards and I don’t feel that when I’ve been with DCM.

After years of insecure housing, one of the biggest changes is J’s home, where he now lives with his son. The painting on the wall is his own, titled: Beauty Amongst the Mess.

I’ve got this whare through DCM, which was beautiful. They took the time to find a place that would match where I was at with my life and not a place that was going to bring me backwards.

I feel at home, I’m able to relax. Throughout my life of being through transitional housing, it’s been very unsettling. I’m safe, I’m secure, I can raise my son here and that’s the beauty of it.

And what about the future?

This community of DCM has been a blessing and it’s turned my life right around. My hard work is the gift I want to give back. I want to use these tools in my own life to raise my own kids and help others, because caring and helping others is a beautiful thing.

I'm in this steady, stable era of mine, raising my son. I want to find the time to get into the things I love, work and carry on with my art.

I’m grounded now.

Regular giving from One Percent Collective contributes to providing essential services like counselling, emergency food and support to help people who are rough sleeping or at risk of homelessness into stable housing. That changes lives.

Thank you to all our existing givers.

If you'd like to join the Collective and be a part of stories like this, or you just want to lean more, tap the link. www.onepercentcollective.org