For the first half of 2025, we will be raising funds for Hutt Valley Woman’s Refuge. Women’s Refuge is the country’s largest nationwide organisation that supports and helps women and children experiencing family violence. They provide a 24hr crisis-line, a wide range of education programmes, advocate for policy change and conduct original research.

Women’s Refuge advocates help across a wide spectrum, ranging from help accessing healthcare and counselling, support with MSD and budgeting advice, obtaining a protection order and legal assistance, finding a place to live, helping to fund activities for tamariki and establishing relationships with schools and teachers, even meeting basic needs like food, clothing, and much more.

To learn more about Hutt Valley Woman’s Refuge, visit www.huttwomen.org.nz

For the second half of 2024, we will be supporting Life Flight. Life Flight are the organisation behind the Westpac Helicopter – a 24/7 emergency medical service that is entirely free of charge to the public. Amongst other things, this incredible service:

• Transfers patients from regional hospitals to a higher level of care
• Airlifts patients after serious accidents such as car crashes or farming incidents
• Airlifts patients with time-critical medical conditions such as cardiac arrest or stroke
• Helps with search and rescue in the bush or at sea
• Supports the NZ Police

Life Flight also operates the Air Ambulance Planes. These flying intensive care wards transfer critically ill patients, including premature babies, to get the specialist care they urgently need.

To learn more, you can visit www.lifeflight.org.nz

This campaign is in memory of a friend of Makowem & Isaacs Financial Planning who sadly passed away recently, but had incredible service from Life Flight.

For the first half of 2024, we will be raising funds for Ellie's Canine Rescue and Rehome. This is a dog rescue and registered charity created by founders Vicky and Nicole in 2019. The Rescue was named after Vicky's late dog Ellie, her first rescue dog.

We have first-hand experience of the great work they do as John and his wife Laurel recently adopted a puppy (Luca's photo to the right) from Ellies. Luca’s mother was found wandering the streets with 7 puppies in tow and Ellies found foster homes for all of them while waiting for them to find a permanent home.

They take in dogs from private surrenders as well as from many pounds across New Zealand. All of their dogs are assessed before taken in and then carefully placed into volunteer foster homes where they are taught the basics and cared for until adopted.

They are based in the Greater Wellington region and all of their dogs are desexed, microchipped, vaccinated, deflead and wormed before adoption.

Ellie's Rescue and Rehome is a registered charity and do not receive government funding in any way. They rely totally on donations, gifts, grants and their own fundraising activities for income. So Makowem & Isaacs Financial Planning is proud to support this fantastic charity and the great work they do.

To learn more, you can visit their site www.elliesk9rescue.co.nz

For the second half of 2023, we are really pleased to be able to support the incredible contribution made by the Billy Graham Youth Foundation. The foundation, in conjunction with its affiliate boxing academies (Cannons Creek, Naenae, Mid Canterbury and Te Awamutu), have a major influence on the lives of many young New Zealanders – often from less privileged backgrounds. They exist to support local communities throughout Aotearoa to champion young people by providing top quality resources, relationships, pathways, and structures. They combine their expertise in the sport of boxing with the principles of best practice youth development to engage with young people from every background. This is done by creating safe spaces, building friendships, and supporting their members to become Champion people who contribute to their communities.

This is an incredible group of dedicated people making a real difference in the real world, and we are very proud to be able to make a small contribution towards their awesome cause.

To learn more, you can visit their site www.bgyf.org.nz

For the first 6 months of 2023, we will be raising funds for the Nurses at Hutt Hospital. They are the front line of healthcare, working long hours (often in a challenging environment), and providing emotional support to patients and their families. These wonderful folk answer our questions and help to alleviate our fears and concerns when we are at our most vulnerable. They are dedicated, compassionate individuals who work tirelessly to provide vital care to patients of all ages and backgrounds. They are truly an integral part of the healthcare system, and their contributions are invaluable.

Makowem & Isaacs Financial Planning wants to raise some money to put coffee machines in the staff rooms at Hutt Hospital for these wonderful folks. Given the great work they do, we want to make their workplace a little bit better and ensure that they can have a decent cuppa when they get a quick break in their hectic day. We aim to raise $2,500 to buy a few Nespresso machines and as many coffee pods as possible to stock them up.

For the second half of 2022, I am delighted to announce that we will be working with Kaibosh Food Rescue. As we enter the second half of the year, inflation is at multi-decade highs and the phrase “cost of living crisis” is in the headlines every day. Many families are now struggling to put food on the table. So Kaibosh Food Rescue seems an appropriate charity to work with right now.

Kaibosh Food Rescue operate in Wellington, the Hutt Valley, Kāpiti and Horowhenua. They link the food industry with community groups that support people in need, ensuring that quality surplus food reaches those who are struggling rather than being needlessly discarded. This benefits both the community and our environment.

Kaibosh has a dedicated team of more than 250 volunteers who rescue and sort food seven days a week. They collect food from “food donors” (supermarkets, bakeries, restaurants, cafes, etc.), and then redistribute it to charities and community groups that support people in need. Up to 60,000kg of quality surplus food is redistributed each month. This is the equivalent of 171,429 meals provided to those who need it most, as well as a 17,940kg reduction in carbon emissions. Kaibosh provides this service at no cost to food donors, charities or community groups.

This is a great organisation doing some incredible work, and our goal is to raise $2,500 by the end of the year to donate to them. Keep up the great work Kaibosh!!!

Website - www.kaibosh.org.nz
Facebook - @Kaibosh.NZ

For the first half of 2022, we are excited to be working with HUHA - Helping You Help Animals. HUHA is New Zealand’s leading no kill shelter and dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and re-homing of animals in need all over New Zealand. HUHA is dedicated to teaching empathy to the community and providing shelter for those less fortunate animals that struggle to survive in today’s disposable culture. The sanctuary is fun and interactive in many ways, designed to encourage our community to be proactive and take responsibility for the welfare of animals and the protection of our unique environment. HUHA also responds to national and international disaster relief emergencies such as the 2019 Nelson Bush Fires and the 2020 Australian Bush Fires.

HUHA is in the process of developing a purpose built community hub for animal rehabilitation, education and national disaster relief on land they own on the Haywards Hill. It is well under way and will be opening their doors to the public in the months ahead. Makowem & Isaacs Financial Planning aim to make a small contribution towards this fantastic facility and cause.

For more information on donating, volunteering, or adopting, please visit:

Website - https://huha.org.nz/
Facebook - @HelpingYouHelpAnimals

For the second half of 2021, we have decided to support Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand. Sadly, Isaacs Financial Planning has had several friends and clients of the business affected by this dreadful disease in recent years, and this campaign is in honour of these folk.

There are about 21,000 New Zealanders living with Leukaemia on any given day, and about 7 people a day are diagnosed with leukaemia or a similar blood condition. Sadly, this is the most common cancer among young people in New Zealand. A donation to Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand will help them with their efforts to:

• Provide information about blood cancers to the New Zealand public
• Fund research into better treatments and finding a cure
• Offer personalised support to patients and their families

You can learn more about the great work that Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand do at www.leukaemia.org.nz

For the first half of 2021, we are delighted to be working with Volunteer Hutt. Volunteer Hutt works alongside the Ministry of Social Development to support their client's preparation for paid employment - upskilling, building confidence, growing networks and providing work experience through volunteering. They also work with disability groups to find meaningful volunteer roles for their clients, providing them with a sense of inclusion and acceptance, a sense of purpose and achievement.

With the management of volunteers being a professional field of expertise, Volunteer Hutt provides training and consultancy services to its member organisations in the management of volunteers.

Volunteer Hutt promotes the benefits and value of volunteering with emphasis on diversity, inclusion and effective management of volunteers. Volunteer Hutt has a team of wonderful volunteers who support the manager to deliver its services.

If you would like to volunteer go to www.volunteerwellington.nz

For the first half of 2020, we are working with an organisation that does incredible work in the Kapiti community. Birthright Kapiti is a charitable trust and has been serving the Kapiti Coast for the last 35 years. It is part of the larger Birthright group established in Hastings in 1955 and has continued to be a nationwide organisation since then, with Birthright affiliates across both the north and south island.

Birthright Kapiti supports one parent families on the Kapiti Coast whose youngest child is under 16 years and who choose to be part of their services. Birthright has a Manager and two Social Workers who work with families in a professional and holistic manner, providing advocacy, practical support, advice and a listening ear. Birthright work alongside other NGO’s to ensure their clients’ needs are met, as well as liaising with Oranga Tamariki, the Police, local Council and other statutory agencies.

Birthright embraces the community it serves and believes that it takes a village to raise a child. They come from a hand up rather than a hand out approach. They like to give families the tools to enable them to seek out resources in the future, and Birthright will walk alongside parents during this journey. The aim is to have those who are part of the Birthright village to be happy, safe secure and resilient people.

Birthright Kapiti is run by a Management Committee of Volunteers. It is also supported by an opportunity shop, again run by volunteers and a part time shop manager. This shop allows funds to be raised for the work of the social workers, but also allows donations to go directly out to the people in the community who are in need of immediate and practical support.

Birthright Kapiti’s recent move to larger premises has meant that new opportunities are opening up and they would love to start running coffee mornings, group session and training courses, to better support the families they are working with.

Visit:  Birthright Kapiti's Facebook page

For the second half of 2019, we are delighted to be working with Hutt Valley Gymnastics. Hutt Valley Gymnastics is an Incorporated Society run by a Management Committee of volunteers. They teach and deliver children’s and young adults’ gymnastics programmes. Children as young as 15 months participate in the PlayGym programme, and general gym classes are offered to older children, who may then progress to regional, national and international competitions.

The club has grown from 250 to 750 members over the last 6 years, and has the potential to grow with another hundred on their waitlist. This excludes casual members - 1000’s of people coming through the gym each year for group visits, holiday programmes, birthday parties, etc.

As a result, this great community service has outgrown their current premises and are raising funds to build a new purpose-built facility at Fraser Park. The new facility will be a regional facility for the Greater Wellington Region, and will be hugely beneficial to all club members (present and future), as well as the greater Wellington community. The additional indoor space will allow the introduction to new classes like Trampolining, Tumbling, Acrobatics and Circus, with a view to encourage the community (particularly young children) to “Get up and Move”.

Planning for the new facility is well under way, and construction is hopefully starting in 2020. The total cost is likely to be $3.5 million, and Isaacs Financial Planning would like to make a small contribution towards this fantastic community project.

Visit:  Hutt Valley Gymnastics' Facebook page

For the first half of 2019, we are stoked to be helping a young lady of incredible character - Loren Harvey. Loren battled against Leukaemia when she was only 4 years old, spending about 6 months in Starship hospital undergoing 5 rounds of chemotherapy. Loren recovered well, but years later at the age of 12, her parents noticed that she was again bruising a bit quicker than usual when she knocked herself. After a number of trips to Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch hospitals where she had countless meetings, lumbar punctures and saw a number of specialists, Loren was diagnosed with Monosomy Seven (a gene defect resulting from the earlier rounds of chemotherapy she underwent) and has had to undergo more rounds of high dosage chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant. Loren spent 11 weeks confined to a room in Starship, unable to leave and without energy to do much more than sleep and watch baking shows on TV. A passion was born.

As Loren had no immune system, she wasn’t allowed to return to school once she was discharged from Starship, so spent her time at home (between hospital visits) doing school work, watching more baking shows and growing her love for baking. After countless episodes of the Great British bake off, Martha Bakes and MKR; Loren now has a breadth of recipes she draws on to bake treats and gifts for her family and friends. Baking is something that gives Loren some control back in her life, it’s the thing she does to relax and reflect; and until her energy levels return she feels it’s something she can do with her family or friends where she isn’t being left behind or slowing people down.

We want to raise $2,500 to put towards an awesome baking pack including equipment, recipe books, ingredients and utensils. Loren totally deserves to be spoilt!

For the second half of 2018, we are delighted to be working with the amazing people at Te Omanga Hospice. Te Omanga Hospice provide palliative care through an interdisciplinary team of specialists doctors, nurses, therapists and specially trained volunteers to those living with a terminal or life limiting illness in the Hutt Valley. They provide care for people in their homes, at their Inpatient Unit, and support the delivery of palliative care in Residential Care Facilities, the Hutt Hospital and in conjunction with General Practitioners.

The day to day operational cost of running this amazing service is difficult enough to fund under normal circumstances. This year is even more challenging than usual as Te Omanga Hospice need to rebuild their hospice at 136 Woburn Road. The cost of this is $10 million of which they get no government funding towards. Thanks to the incredible support of the community, 70% of this funding had already been raised by June 2018. Isaacs Financial Planning are aiming to make a small contribution to the outstanding 30% that still needs to be raised, and also to their general funding for the year.

Thank you Te Omanga Hospice for the incredible service you have been delivering to the Lower Hutt area for the past 40 years! You guys are amazing!

Visit:  Te Omanga’s Facebook page

For the first half of 2018, we will be helping Warwick and his family (wife Jacquie and five year old son Lachie) raise money to get the treatment he desperately needs to treat his Multiple Sclerosis. MS is devastating. It robs sufferers of their energy and their health. The daily reality is fatigue and uncertainty. MS robs families of fun and a future. Lachie loves rugby. He’d love to play with his Dad in their backyard - but he can’t. Warwick struggles to walk, much less run, so Lachie says, “Dad, you stand there. I’ll run around you.” It’s hardly rugby! Lachie wants to know when his Dad’s sore leg will get better. It’s hard to tell him it’s not that kind of sore leg.

The best hope for Warwick is a Stem Cell Treatment that is available in Russia. Warwick has booked his trip and is headed away in May 2018 for his treatment. But the cost is significant – meaning the family are raising as much money as possible but will also have to take out a mortgage to cover the cost. Isaacs Financial Planning wants to help, and hopefully we can raise a meaningful amount to contribute to this worthy cause.

Visit:  Warwick’s Facebook page

For the second half of 2017, we are stoked to be working with the Wellington Free Ambulance. Wellington Free Ambulance believes emergencies needn’t cost lives or money. Thanks to community support, they have been a free ambulance service for 90 years this year, and are the only free ambulance service in the country - something our whole community can be proud of! Nearly 50,000 people every year get the care they urgently need. Wellington Free Ambulance are the only emergency ambulance service in the greater Wellington and Wairarapa region, and they want to be here for another 90 years, looking after our people and our community. Several of the Team at Isaacs Financial Planning have been beneficiaries of the great service they offer (kids with broken bones, aging parents with illnesses), so this is our chance to make a small contribution to their amazing cause!

We are excited to be working with The Hutt Hospital Foundation Trust for the first part of 2017. The Hutt Hospital Foundation Trust is a registered charitable trust that raises funds for projects to improve the health and comfort of patients and their families at Hutt Hospital. We are hoping to raise funds to purchase an ‘Airvo’ breathing  machine for the children’s ward. This machine is used to help treat children with moderate to severe respiratory distress by delivering humidified air or oxygen at high flows in an attempt to reduce their work of breathing. It also reduces the length of hospital stays for these children. This therapy is in increasing demand, which is not surprising given that New Zealand has the world’s  second highest rate of asthma, with Wainuiomata having the highest asthma rate in New Zealand. With this in mind, Isaacs Financial Planning feel that purchasing an ‘Airvo’ machine will help make a significant difference for these children.

For the second half of 2016, we will be raising as much as we can to support an Olympic Athlete. Emma Robinson is a local Wellingtonian who was born in 1994. She has been swimming competitively since the age of 12, and earlier this year she achieved the ultimate goal for any elite athlete – qualifying to represent her country at the Olympic Games. This comes off the back of years of determination and discipline – spending hours in the pool every day before most of us have even got out of bed. Reaching her goal has come at a material financial cost for Emma, as her dedication is not rewarded financially. So Isaacs Financial Planning is honoured and proud to get behind Emma and make a small contribution towards her Olympic campaign. Go you good thing – we’re rooting for you!!!!

This year we have decided to help Lily and her family as she goes through the process of having a heart transplant. Lily was born on 26 June 2013 with a condition called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. Before her first birthday, Lily had had 3 open heart surgeries and spent as much time in hospital as she had at home. Obviously the lives of her mum and dad (Veronika and Adam) have been turned upside-down too. Recently the family had to move from their home in Wellington to Melbourne as Lily now needs a heart transplant which can’t be performed in New Zealand. When we heard about this uphill struggle and met some of the lovely family who have been affected, we felt compelled to help.

Visit:  Lily’s blog
Visit:  Lily’s Facebook page