Kids Can Statement on Big Night In
The aim of Big Night In is to net at least 2 million dollars for the KidsCan Charitable Trust, to assist the tens of
thousands of New Zealand children living in poverty.
KidsCan receives no government funding and requires a minimum of 1.5 million dollars each year to operate at its current
level. At present the charity supports 24,300 students in 102 low decile schools across New Zealand through the
Raincoats for Kids, Shoes for Kids and Food for Kids programmes.
KidsCan is currently unable to assist the further 105 schools (more than 22,000 children) on its waiting list. Founder
and General Manager Julie Helson says “The Trust needs an immediate minimum of two million dollars to assist the
children on our waiting list and maintain its current level of support for New Zealand children living in poverty.
Funding from Big Night In will help towards this desperate situation. Our commitment is to raise sponsorship to
underwrite all programming costs for the Big Night so that every single dollar raised on 20 and 21 June goes direct to
the cause”
Julie Helson and Kathy Cunningham from empire PR & Events are Co-Directors of Big Night In. Julie says; “Both Kathy and I have been awed by the generosity of those
sponsors who have already committed to making this crucial event a reality and we are still looking for more. Providing
a means for raising millions of dollars is not an easy or a inexpensive thing to do, however we are determined to
succeed so that no child in New Zealand misses out on the basics most of us take for granted.
ends