As the end of the year approaches and the festive season begins, it’s good to take a moment to reflect on the meaningful work we do for others. In the field of recruitment, where the pace can be relentless, taking a step back to dedicate time to those in need becomes all the more significant. Amidst the gift exchanges and celebrations, there are countless ways to contribute to your community—whether it’s through fundraising challenges like ‘Movember’ or volunteering with organisations such as the ‘Auckland City Mission’ or ‘Volunteering Auckland.’
And while participating in one-off charity events is valuable, there are a couple of charities that Grada has chosen to forge lasting partnerships with and they’re who we would like to shine a spotlight on in this blog.
Lazy Sneakers
You may have heard of Lazy Sneakers already; the project was started in 2018 by Maia Mariner, a young girl with the belief that sports and fitness should be accessible to everyone. It has since grown to the point where there are collection points across the whole of New Zealand and has managed to connect over 10,000 people with sneakers of their own. Since its inception, the project has grown significantly, with collection points now spanning across New Zealand, connecting over 10,000 individuals with sneakers of their own.
In 2022, we proudly introduced our exclusive ‘Grada x Lazy Sneakers’ collection boxes. These boxes are dropped off to offices and worksites across the Auckland region, encouraging staff and clients to contribute their used and new sneakers. Last year alone, our collective efforts resulted in the donation of over 250 pairs of shoes. This year, we are determined to surpass that number and make an even greater impact.
We’re always on the lookout for temporary collection locations. If you’re interested in having a ‘Grada x Lazy Sneakers’ box at your worksite, don’t hesitate to reach out to one of our team members today.
Cure Kids
It’s not hard to understand why the team at Grada have chosen to partner with Cure Kids. As the only organization in New Zealand dedicated exclusively to funding child health research, Cure Kids stands as a crucial advocate for the well-being of children across Aotearoa and the pacific.
Despite being one of the smaller businesses partnered with Cure Kids, we strive to make as significant an impact as possible. This includes running alongside them at the Round the Bays Event and hosting our own Charity Quiz Night and Silent Auction for Red Nose Day, Cure Kids’ biggest charity fundraiser of the year, which raised over $5000! When we spoke to Partnerships Manager Rod Allen about the importance of having partners across various industries, he had this to say: “Cure Kids couldn’t do what we do without the fantastic support of all our partners across all industries. It’s exciting for us that an organization like Grada is involved. The sky is the limit as to where this partnership can lead and how we can add value to help each other.”
Cure Kids has been instrumental in supporting research across a range of health conditions affecting children, such as cystic fibrosis, diabetes, rare genetic disorders, and sudden unexpected deaths in infants which has resulted in some incredible breakthroughs! Some of these include:
- The discovery of a gene therapy for Batten disease, which is now in human clinical trials in the US.
- Identification of some of the genes that cause epilepsy, enabling more targeted treatments and care.
- Evidence that babies born prematurely at 23-24 weeks can survive and thrive.
- Evidence that sleeping on side during pregnancy can reduce risk of stillbirths by 50%.
- Identification of risk factors for Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy (SUDI), leading to advice that has prevented at least 200 deaths every year, and many more around the world.
- Engineering full-thickness human skin in the laboratory, using a patient’s own skin cells, to enable treatment for burns or scalds.
We are so excited to continue partnering with Cure Kids and to contribute to the funding of groundbreaking studies that provide crucial insights into pediatric health conditions.
If you’ve been inspired to support Cure Kids yourself, head to www.curekids.org.nz to explore ways to support our tamariki. Some ideas include giving a one-off or ongoing gift, creating your own fundraiser, or getting involved with Red Nose Day.
– Grada
