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Z Energy has presented four charities – two locally-based – with a share of $4000, after customers at Z’s Warkworth service station voted with their tokens in the annual Good in the Hood promotion.
Based on the number of tokens each received, the funds were divided among Women’s Centre Rodney ($1371), Leigh Community Patrol ($572), Meat the Need ($1485) and Te Kiwi Māia ($572).
Since 2011, the programme has supported community groups around the country, giving them a share of a total $1 million pot, to do good in their neighbourhood.
Over the course of a month, customers are given an orange token to pop into one of four repositories, each labelled for a particular charity. Each service station then splits $4000, in proportion to the number of votes received.
“It’s been amazing to see the community support this initiative,” Warkworth Z retailer Gursharan Mann said. “We feel really lucky to be able to support these groups and the amazing work they do for our community.”
Women’s Centre Rodney manager Jo Nicholson said the organisation was grateful for the support.
“With demand on our existing services already stretched, the funds raised will enable us to open up new avenues of support for women,” she said. “We often get asked how to support the Women’s Centre, and the Z Good In The Hood campaign was a great way to do it. Thank you so much – we can’t do it without you!”
Leigh Community Patrol patroller Stuart Henderson said the group was delighted to have been selected in the campaign. The voluntary organisation serves the Leigh, Pākiri, Mathesons Ba, Whangateau and Matakana area, with the mission to help prevent crime and reduce harm.
“The Z manager was thrilled to have us show up and occasionally run a stand at the station and her staff were incredibly supportive, feeding through the odd coffee or two,” he said. “They were really genuine about trying to help make a difference and made our patroller volunteers very welcome.”
Stuart said the group has been “blown away” at the support received locally over the past six months, in the form of generous business and private donations.
“Something that really resonated with folk that stopped to talk at the Z station was that the majority of our volunteer patrols over the past year have been resulting in roadside assistance on rural roads – often elderly folk – and also checking how our isolated community have fared after weather events.”
Meat the Need is a national farmer-led charity that directs mince and milk donated by farmers to more than 110 food banks helping families in need.
General manager Zellara Holden said the contribution of the Warkworth community had been tremendous.
“Many of the food banks and community organisations we support right across the country are telling us that the demand they’re seeing is unprecedented and without Meat the Need, they’d be unable to provide their communities with nutritious protein,” Zellara said.
“We’re so incredibly thankful for everyone who continues to support our kaupapa and give to families and communities who find themselves impacted by food insecurity.”
Te Kiwi Māia (The Courageous Kiwi) works in the area of mental health and wellbeing of first responders and NZ Defence Force personnel.
In addition to the $4000 shared among the four charities, Z Warkworth has spent a further $1000 on community events and initiatives this year.
