Warm up this winter by giving back ??

As winter settles in across Aotearoa, it's the perfect time to find warmth in giving and community spirit ? This month, we're excited to share three impactful ways you can make a difference in your community PLUS volunteering opportunities with our charity partners.

3 ways you can get involved in goodness this June ??

1. Curtain call ??

Research shows a well fitted set of thick curtains keep homes warm, and also help reduce energy bills - but many families cannot afford to buy these. If you have a set of unwanted, good quality curtains around your home, consider dropping these off at your local curtain bank or opshop (if they’re accepting donations). Curtain banks - like those run by Habitat for Humanity New Zealand - cut, sew, and repurpose curtains, fitting them into homes in need. If you don’t have any curtains - warm items like blankets, pyjamas, beanies, scarves and bed linen are great items to donate.

2. Read rainbow books ????

It’s June which means Out on the Shelves is here, a campaign to uplift and celebrate rainbow stories in schools and communities across Aotearoa. Head to your local library and take a look at the rainbow reading collections on display. You can also head to Out on the Shelves (OOTS) online - a regularly updated online resource that lists books from around the world with rainbow themes and characters.

• Read and review rainbow books

If you LOVE reading, InsideOUT Kōaro are always looking for volunteers to help grow OOTS with book suggestions, content reading, and book reviews. This enables them to provide accurate content and trigger warnings, and categorise stories by genre and identity. Find out more here.

3. Join a tree planting event ??

Keen to dig in and plant native trees? Winter is the best time of the year to plant trees, so it’s a great time to start looking for volunteer planting events in your local area. Grab a friend, grab your gumboots and give back to nature. Our charity partner Trees That Count have some upcoming winter planting events here.

And as always, you can give back to charities via The Good Registry! Give to Kiwi charities here ??

Volunteer opportunities ??

Our 65 charity partners are often in need of a helping hand:

• Habitat for Humanity New Zealand are looking for Curtain Bank machinists to upcycle curtains, and volunteers to sort donations for their ReStore opshops. Volunteer here
• Pillars Ka Pou Whakahou are looking for mentors to make a difference in a young person’s life. For children of people in prison, mentors act as an aunty, uncle, big brother or big sister figure. Mentors are the joke tellers, adventurers, trusted, askable adults these children don’t have. Volunteer here.
• Ronald McDonald House Charities are looking for volunteers to support families staying at a Ronald McDonald House or Family Room. Volunteer to be a gardener, cleaning and maintenance, dinner hosts and event supporters and more. Volunteer here.

? Don’t have time to volunteer this month? Pay it forward by grabbing a Good Gift Card from as little as $10. Buy a Good Gift Card

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And that's a wrap on this edition of Get Involved in Goodness! ?? But let's not just read about making a difference; go out and do it!

Share these ideas with your crew—your friends, your fam, your workmates, you name it.

Tag us on social @thegoodregistry or email us at [email protected]

Stay tuned for the next round of goodness ??