Social Justice Project - 10MC

By Lachie Allibone and Sharyn Dunn | Posted: Thursday August 1, 2019

Foster Hope is a non-profit organisation that was founded in Auckland.

They started by providing foster kids with back-packs containing essential belongings for a range of age- groups. Nowadays Foster Hope has eight branches being run across New Zealand, including Dunedin.

Foster Hope believes that every child deserves to know that someone loves them. They provide backpacks for all ages ranging from babies all the way up to teenagers. They provide things like toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, shampoo, toys, deodorant and other toiletries for any child who gets uplifted through Te Oranga to go into foster care. Foster Hope hopes that means in amongst a stressful time, there is something positive.

Initially 10MC planned to just fill one backpack, but during Term 2, 10MC alone was able to fill nine backpacks and part-filled 16 others over that one term. This is a great way to serve our community. 10MC assigned everyone a certain item to bring in for our backpacks. This also was a great opportunity to demonstrate two of our school values: justice and service. It is now going across Year 10, which is also great, as Foster Hope serves our local Dunedin community in a real practical and meaningful way, including some students here at Kavanagh College.