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Donna Taylor, of Hibiscus Coast Grandparents Parenting Grandchildren, was recently the recipient of ASB’s Good as Gold award, a regular segment on TV1s Seven Sharp that rewards people serving their communities.
The whole process was sprung on Donna, when she thought she was attending one of her organisation’s regular coffee get-togethers at Walnut Café in Ōrewa.
“All these people were there, and a TV crew, so I wondered what was up,” Donna says. “It was such a surprise – everyone knew about it apart from me.”
The $10,000 that Donna received is tagged for a holiday. It’s so long since Donna went on holiday, or left the country, that she doesn’t have a current passport.
Donna, who lives in Gulf Harbour, has been the Grandparents support coordinator since 2018. She took on the role with long experience raising children, including being a foster carer.
She says she discovered early the importance of a solid support network around parenting.
Currently she is raising an 11-year-old, while also “giving her heart” and all her time to ‘the Grans’, who she says are also part of her family.
There are 79 families being helped by Grandparents Parenting Grandchildren – a total of 130 young people living from Mangawhai to the North Shore – and Donna knows them all.
Her work is around the clock, whether it’s helping with transport, food, clothing and bedding, access to grants, court attendances, or just holding someone’s hand as they deal with large amounts of stress.
A lot of it calls for liaising with community support groups such as Love Soup, Salt Trust or the Salvation Army, as well as seeking the sponsorship of businesses to keep the Grans going through hard times.
“Grandparents become parents for many reasons, but it usually involves heartache, trauma and stress,” Donna says. “It’s a hard road – many are on a pension, but this totally disrupts any retirement plans. Some have to go back to work, they struggle to pay the bills associated with raising a child, and need to learn about tech – it’s a whole new world.”
It’s hard for her to think about taking a break, but since she got the ASB money, she says she is starting to dream about it.
Several options are on the wish list – perhaps a cruise, or a trip to a sunny Pacific Island with her 11-year-old.
“I guess everyone deserves a break,” she says.
For info about Hibiscus Coast Grandparents Parenting Grandchildren, look for them on facebook, or email hbcgrandparentsinc@gmail.com
