Charitable Trust
Potatoes New Zealand’s Charitable Trust was established in 2010 to improve New Zealanders’ health and education, relieve poverty, and advance potato research.The trust's income is derived from several streams, including:
- Royalties from Potatoes New Zealand's investment in the seed potato breeding programme, being run by the Crown Research Institute Plant and Food Research.
- Donations to a voluntary contribution fund that Potatoes New Zealand has established on behalf of industry to fight psyllid.
- Fundraising activities, such as an annual golf tournament and bi-annual awards dinner.
Three quarters of the trust's funds is automatically reinvested in the seed breeding programme. The remaining quarter goes into a funding pool that the Research and Development Investment Group oversees.
Trustees decide how the money from this pool is spent. Much of it is devoted to potato research, such as efforts to create breeds of potato that have higher nutritional values than existing varieties. The Trustees also consider applications for grants from groups outside the potato industry who support and are working towards the trust's aims. To make an application contact Trust Secretary Ron Gall.
Children's Health Camps - Te Puna Whaiora
The Potatoes New Zealand Charitable Trust's benefits spread far wider than our potato industry. One of the organisations we support is Te Puna Whaiora Children's Health Camps, which works with more than 3,000 children and their families each year. The camps have operated in New Zealand since the 1920s. Their focus is primarily on helping children from disadvantaged or abusive backgrounds.
Potatoes New Zealand’s partnership with Te Puna Whaiora began before the Trust was established. Since 2007, we have donated more than $70,000 to this worthwhile cause as part of our commitment to education, valuing children and relieving poverty.
In addition to this funding, Potatoes New Zealand provides education resources to help children at the camps learn a new lifelong skill – how to make a baked potato and therefore make a meal. We send each child home from the camp with a 'Crazy Potato Lovers Pack' that includes $20 worth of food and has everything they need to cook a healthy and tasty potato-based meal for their family or whānau.
