Fundraising Campaign Launched To Support Positive Futures For Children Of New Zealand Prisoners

Video link: https://youtu.be/bBNbViywdZc?t=6

Tauranga, 2nd October 2017: A landmark fundraising project has been launched to put newly published children’s book When Daddy Comes Home in the hands of more than 20,000 New Zealand children with parents in prison.

To get the book into the hands of the children, author Tommy Kapai has established a fundraising campaign in conjunction with Pillars, the charity that supports positive futures for children of prisoners in New Zealand. A donation of $10 will provide one book per child.

“Children of prisoners are among some of the most vulnerable children in our community. They are in a situation they didn’t choose, yet they face a sentence of their own” says Verna McFelin CEO of Pillars. “A book so strongly connected to their own situation is a meaningful tool to help these children live positive lives”.

When Daddy Comes Home is the first time that well known New Zealand children’s author Tommy Kapai has written and published a book dedicated to a community cause. It tells the story of a little girl who dreams of the day that her father comes home from prison and all the exciting things they can do together to make a fresh start.

The author's aim is to encourage children to read the book with their parents in prison enabling an emotional prompt for inmates to reconnect with their children and whanau.

Research shows that there is 40% less chance of repeat offending by people that connect with their whanau. Kapai says the book supports this positive outcome by establishing hope, self-expression and visualisation.

Kapai has spent a lot of time conducting research by interviewing prisoners and their families. During those encounters he has had a very positive and emotional response from both fathers and their children. “I have had grown men in tears telling me this book would change their life in prison”. Included in the narrative of the book is a special prison prayer. A poster of the prayer is also included as an insert in the book which the parents can keep and display on their cell walls.

Pikiteora Whanau-Russell, Manager of Social Services at Te Tuinga Whanau Support Services Trust works with prisoners and their families everyday and says “Tommy’s book is an extraordinary initiative. Tools such as this play an important role for positive psychology, giving prisoners purpose and emotional incentive”.

Tommy Kapai has written more than 30 novels including the popular series of books about Kapai the Kiwi, Cuzzies and the World’s first QR coded kids’ books titled The A2Z of New Zealand.

In addition to providing a book for a child, $2 from every $10 donated will also go to the charity Pillars and another $2 to Te Tuinga Whanau Support Services Trust which provides advocacy, information and support for reuniting families.

Details on the Givealittle campaign can be found at - https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/whendaddycomeshome/donate -

ENDS

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