Kiwis become Saints with St John Annual Appeal and Indian Newslink launches first crowdfunding initiative
Jennifer Porter
St John is hoping to raise eyebrows as well as money this year, introducing a fun, new online fundraising campaign asking Kiwis to “Be a Saint” and donate to its annual appeal.
The New Zealand ambulance service says that the move is a playful take on the way Kiwis refer to a helpful person who goes the extra mile: “What a Saint.”
Building on last year’s ‘Heart of Gold’ appeal, St John is encouraging New Zealanders to “Be a Saint and Donate” at www.heartofgold.org.nz
Exclusive Halo Graphic
Donors who give through the website will receive access to an exclusive St John ‘Halo’
graphic frame to sit on top of their existing social media profiles to help spread the message.
High profile New Zealanders including World Heavyweight Boxing Champion Joseph Parker, Silver Fern Kayla Cullen and All Black Liam Messam have already become saints themselves, changing their profile pictures and encouraging other Kiwis to do the same.
St John Chief Executive Peter Bradley said that the Organisation hopes to raise more than $2.2 million from its annual appeal in April, to help pay for much needed ambulances and lifesaving equipment.
Fun Digital Campaign
“Many New Zealanders still do not know that St John is a charity and that we need to raise more than 25% or $70 million of our annual operating budget every year.
“This year we aim to increase that awareness through this fun digital campaign, which tries to encourage Kiwis to come together and donate enough money online for a new ambulance. Everyone who donates $25 or more will get their name on the side of the ambulance – this is a first, traditionally reserved only for those who donate an entire ambulance.
“We believe that all our people are saints in some way, helping to deliver little miracles around New Zealand every day. This year, we encourage New Zealanders young and old to be a saint too,” he said.
A single ambulance costs $225,000, and the lifesaving equipment that St John is fundraising for means its ambulance officers can treat people more effectively in the wide variety of scenarios they encounter across the country.
Unique to Indian Newslink
In another first, Indian Newslink readers have a unique chance to “come together” to contribute directly towards a new ambulance via the newspaper’s novel crowdfunding initiative. Readers can help St John buy an ambulance for the community and help save lives, simply by donating at www.stjohn.org.nz/newslink or sending a cheque to St John, Private Bag 14902, Panmure, Auckland (including your name, address and code Newslink).
St John Northern Region Fundraising & Marketing Manager Kristin Cross said that the charity is grateful to Indian Newslink for running such an innovative fundraiser.
“One ambulance can attend as many as 600 incidents each year, potentially saving 600 lives, so to get another ambulance in the community thanks to Indian Newslink readers would mean a huge deal to us. We really look forward to seeing how this crowdfunding initiative unfolds and as always, we appreciate any donations, big or small.”
Donations towards the ‘Heart of Gold’ appeal can be made in any ASB branch across New Zealand, online at www.heartofgold.org.nz, by calling 0800 ST JOHN, or to St John & ASB volunteer collectors throughout New Zealand.
St John facts:
St John Heart of Gold Annual Appeal runs from April 2 to April 8, 2018, with street collections nationwide on Friday April 6, 2018.
Online campaigning will run for the month of April.
St John treated and/or transported 469,850 patients last year
Community and commercial programmes run by St John range from first aid training, health shuttle services, ASB St John in Schools, Friends of the Emergency Department, Caring Caller telephone service, monitored Medical Alarms, Outreach Therapy Pets and a St John Youth Programme
St John is made up of a mix of full-time paid employees and volunteer staff
For the fourth year in a row, St John was voted ‘New Zealand’s Most Trusted Charity’ in
the ‘Readers Digest Most Trusted Brands Awards 2017’
It costs $225,000 for a fully-equipped new generation ambulance
St John trained over 82,000 people in first aid last year
Jennifer Porter is Regional Communications Advisor, Northern Region of St John. She lives in Auckland.
