Whānau Āwhina Plunket, which provides Aotearoa’s largest support service for tamariki under five and their whānau, is trialling cryptocurrency donations as it seeks to innovate and supplement the more traditional sources of donations, some of which have been impacted by the ongoing pandemic.
 
The nationwide charity relies on a mix of contracts and fundraising, including grants, donations, events and partnerships, to fund its services which reach around 85 per cent of babies in New Zealand.
 
Chief Executive Amanda Malu said the charity was one of the early adopters to accept donations in a range of cryptocurrencies, responding to the impact of COVID-19 and other factors on traditional fundraising.
 
“As we saw during 2020, the lockdowns and their aftermath stretched our teams and resources, and put pressure on our traditional funding sources,” says Ms. Malu. “This is only continuing with the latest COVID-19 outbreak in Aotearoa.”
 
“Add to this the rise in digital economies and currencies, and the end to cheques as a payment method, and we must keep up by embracing new ways to support our services.”
 
The trial allows people to donate on Whānau Āwhina Plunket’s website using one of 15 different types of cryptocurrencies.
 
Ms Malu said cryptocurrency donations will be converted to New Zealand dollars and used to support Whānau Āwhina Plunket’s vital services for the health and wellbeing of tamaraki and their whānau.
 
“Whānau Āwhina Plunket offers free health and development checks, a 24/7 parenting helpline, and a range of local services to empower families on their parenting journey, but we can't do it without our supporters,” Ms Malu says.
 
“Any amount people choose to give makes a difference in the lives of tamariki.”
 
Due to the current lockdown, many Whānau Āwhina Plunket services are being offered online, while PlunketLine continues to operate as usual.
 
For more information: 
Website:  www.plunket.org.nz