1000 Days to Raise a Bundle – Plunket launches campaign

1000 Days to Raise a Bundle – Plunket launches ambitious campaign

Plunket has today (Friday 30 September) launched an ambitious 1000-day campaign to raise awareness of the vital role that the charity plays in the first 1000 days of a child’s life.

“The best research shows that what happens to a child in their first 1000 days will influence their entire life,” Plunket Chief Executive Amanda Malu says. “The type of care that a child receives in that critical time can be the difference between a life of happiness, or a life of hardship. It will influence the adult that he or she will become and the path that child will follow.

“Plunket is in the unique position of being able to provide that all-important care in the first 1000 days, with our nurses visiting the homes of 90% of all children born in New Zealand.

“Most New Zealanders will know someone who has benefited from Plunket’s essential services. Our 1000 Days to Raise a Bundle campaign will help us to raise the $4 million that we need each year to continue our work in the community, and to ensure we’re able to provide these important services when and where they are needed.

“We want to ensure that all children and their families have the opportunity to thrive. But as a charity, we can’t do it alone. We need New Zealanders to help us make the difference of a lifetime.”

Professor Richie Poulton, Director of the ground-breaking Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study, says the best scientific research shows that the greatest social good will be achieved by investing in a child’s earliest years.

“Plunket is privileged to be welcomed into the homes of 90% of all children born in New Zealand and with its rich history and proven connections within communities, is perfectly placed to help in these pivotal first 1000 days. Any funds raised will enable Plunket to give our tamariki a healthy start, build the confidence of families and whānau, and foster connections within communities so that family and whānau do not find themselves isolated or unable to cope.”

Kiwi icon Sir Graham Henry is a proud Plunket Foundation member, and believes that all New Zealanders want to see our children get the best start in life.

“None of us want a child to grow up neglected or in hardship. We can and must do better as a nation when it comes to the treatment of children in our country, and every New Zealander has a part to play. Plunket only exists today thanks to the generosity of New Zealanders in making donations and giving their time as volunteers. By investing in our children, we are investing in our future.”

Various streams of activity are planned over the 1000-day campaign. The Plunket Facebook page will profile several babies born over the next month and showcase the milestones and types of services that Plunket provides over their first 1000 days. Social media and online collateral will be provided to sponsors who wish to promote the campaign through their own channels.

Today was chosen as the launch for the 1000 Days to Raise a Bundle campaign as more babies are born on September 30 than any other day of the year, Ms Malu says.

“Our goal is to be there for every child born in New Zealand so that they get the best possible start to life. For some families, it might be the reassuring home check they need, for others it might be a late-night call to our free 24/7 PlunketLine for healthcare advice. Many parents learn a lot from our parenting education classes.

“We are passionate about improving the lives of Kiwi children and we have a strong, proud 100-year history that demonstrates our importance to New Zealand families. The 1000 Days to Raise a Bundle campaign will enable us to remain an integral part of raising New Zealand’s children for the next 100 years.”

Donations can be made through the raiseabundle.org.nz website.

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