How to help your community from your desk
The sun is shining (in some places) and it's the first day of the week - it's the perfect time to help your community!
On the weekend we had the most gorgeous fundraiser. Honestly, it just filled my cup so much. It was so joyous. All these gorgeous bands and sweet little kids colouring in and teenagers dancing and little babies with ear protectors on...It was just a delight.
Also, my Eddie sang a song and I was just the proudest mum. Proud as punch.
I know times are tough, so I'm trying to make it easier for all of us to care about each other.
With that in mind here are some truly valuable things you can do to help your community - all from your desk or from your phone instead of doomscrolling.
Kids really do rock
I'm very proud of Eddie. He is organising another 'Kids Rock' event. The first one he organised was for Palestine. This one will be for Sudan.
The event is organised by kids and the performances are by kids. It's all about kids having a voice. Eddie said on his press release: “Just like in Palestine, we see children in Sudan in desperate need, and those with power aren't helping them. We kids want to help. So that is what we are doing.”
100% of proceeds go directly to emergency aid in Sudan through Hope and Haven Refugees Sudan and the emergency fund for Sudanese People Living with Diabetes. So please be generous.
Do you want to volunteer to help? Email Kidsrockaotearoa@gmail.com
Tell the Government their Move-On orders are cruel
Communities across the country are getting organised against the Government's awful 'move-on orders' targeting our unhoused family. There will be a National Day of Action on Sunday, 29 March.
From Tai Tokerau in the north to Ōtepoti in the south, communities are coming together to fight back against the Move-on orders and for the solutions they know will work.
If you are keen to begin organising in your local community in preparation for our National Day of Action, email Vanessa@actionstation.org.nz.
- ‘Move on’ powers only mask NZ’s homelessness problem, expert claims
- Move-on orders will push homeless people away from support, agency fears
- Ex-rough sleeper fears move-on law hits Māori hardest
- 'No doubt' new move-on orders for homeless will drain police resources
If you just have 5 minutes:
- Sign this petition demanding the government support people experiencing homelessness
- Follow Kick Back on Instagram or Facebook for updates
Weaving Anti-Racist Futures conference
Standing Together Against Racism: The Inaugural Education Conference is being held on 5-6 July 2026. Organisers are looking for sponsors for the conference.
The conference is hosted by community partners and educators in partnership with CARE (Centre for Culture-Centred Approach to Research and Evaluation) at Massey University. It brings together educators, researchers, and practitioners to explore how race and racism function in our education system, enabling us to respond confidently in practical ways.
There's an amazing line-up of speakers - it looks like such a great conference. Find out more here.
If you have 1 minute (or 7 minutes total) here are 7 petitions to sign
- Tell Erica Stanford we need to bring back Tiriti-based, inclusive Relationships & Sexuality Education in schools
- Support the New Zealand Cuba Society's call for Peace and Sovereignty for Cuba
- Call for an increase and targeted investment in social and affordable housing for older people
- Protect Voter Privacy: Support the call to expand access to the hidden Electoral Roll in Aotearoa
- Support urgent Visa Pathways and Family Reunification for Iranians
- Pause Charter-School Approvals Until Transparency & Safety Are Guaranteed
- Get people in prison the basic supplies they are legally entitled to
35 seconds: Invoice the Prime Minister
Now is the time to tell the Prime Minister closing the pay gap is a priority for you.
New Zealand women earning the median wage are losing $25.36 per week because the Government has not acted on pay gap reporting.
For wahine Māori, its $58.40 a week; for Pacific women it’s $76.40.
If the Government made gender pay gap reporting compulsory for large businesses, the gender pay gap would shrink by 20–40 percent.
Every week the Government stalls, women and their families pick up the tab: at the supermarket, in their power bill, to their landlords.
You can click the button below to invoice the Prime Minister:
Hours to spare? Register for the Te Tiriti-based Futures conference 2026 – starting online
The Te Tiriti-based Futures conference is a free online event bringing together speakers from across Aotearoa to explore issues connected to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and constitutional transformation.
Recordings from the past two conferences are available and provide a resource covering perspectives from educators, researchers, academics and community leaders.
Dates: Saturday 21 March to Thursday 26 March 2026
Schedule and registration: online via goodclix
Past recordings: view on YouTube
One minute for a massive impact:
Here at Emily Writes Weekly, we’re about real giving that makes a real impact.
Last year, we did a drive to get folks to sign up for One Percent Collective. It’s such an awesome organisation. They make it wildly easy to give to a heap of trusted charities with one simple sign-up. You can give as much as you like, as often as you like.
I wanted to tell you how well that drive went in the hopes that we can do it again!
As a community, we gained 14 new donors for One Percent Collective, and I reckon we can beat that record this time!
Thanks to you, we were able to do the equivalent of:
- 35 children who have been able to grow, harvest, prepare and share fresh produce from their school garden for a whole school year thanks to Garden to Table's programmes.
- 23 hours of confidential, anonymous OutLine Aotearoa phone and chat support for people in the rainbow community who need access, information and a sense of community.
- 18 hours of specialist consultation from Grandparents Raising Grandchildren to guide and empower grandparents on issues including income support, guardianship, and parenting their grandchildren.
- 94 meals prepared by adult learners in WELLfed classes, giving them the kai-based confidence to cook healthy, affordable meals for their families.
- 8 refurbished laptops gifted to someone in need by Digital Future Aotearoa.
- 47 support hours from Little Miracles Trust for parents and whānau experiencing the stress and anxiety of a neonatal journey.
- And it has helped Rare Disorders New Zealand to provide a space for 300,000 people to turn to for advice, support and advocacy.
As you can see, we can make a difference, and we did make a difference.
So here’s what I’m asking you: Please check out One Percent Collective and if you don’t want to sign up as a donor, share it with your community. A friend or family member might see it and they might sign up!
You can also share stories about the impact One Percent Collective makes.
Here are some recent stories showing how far your donation goes: Rare Disorders New Zealand, WELLfed, The Little Miracles Trust, Garden to Table, OutLine Aotearoa, Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, Digital Future Aotearoa.
47.5 seconds (set a timer)
Sign the petition to call on the government to fund a teacher aide in every classroom in Budget 2026, value educators fairly and ensure their work is secure, attract – and retain – the best people to educate our tamariki, restore pay equity and uphold te Tiriti o Waitangi in education.
The petition also calls on the government to make early childhood education accessible, affordable, culturally appropriate, and high-quality for all tamariki by retaining 100% qualified teachers, ensuring pay parity, and improving teacher-child ratios.
Check out the fantastic Make it Stop campaign here.
Finally, make sure you're enrolled to vote!
This one is absolutely vital. Compared to previous years, voting enrolments have been seriously restricted. If you ARE enrolled, make sure your friends and whanau are too. Send them this link to make sure.
Share this newsletter around so more people know to get enrolled to vote
Thanks so much for all your help. I know it so often seems hopeless, but the fact is, we make our own hope. Actions like the ones in this newsletter make a real difference, bit by bit, brick by brick.
We'll stand together, for each other.
Donations have been a game-changer since I switched to Ghost. If you can give a koha to the kaupapa, every little bit helps so much.
Thank you!
Do you know of any worthy fundraisers, community events, or ways to stand in solidarity and help others? Let me know either in the comments or by emailing emilywritesnz@gmail.com. Arohanui Emily