Assistance Dogs New Zealand (ADNZ) is a registered charitable trust, providing trained dogs to clients with a disability or multiple disabilities.

We are committed to providing a quality service which evaluates each applicant individually, and provides assessment, training and follow-up support to meet each individual client's specific needs.

We provide our service to people with a range of disabilities and will consider any disability however we do specialise in providing assistance dogs to families with a child with a disability or multiple disabilities for example Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Multiple Sclerosis, Down Syndrome, Diabetes and many other neurological or physical disabilities.

How we spent the money

Assistance Dogs NZ were thrilled to partner with The Giving Tree in 2015 and we were delighted to put the funds raised towards our 'puppy kits' - leash, collar, feeding bowl, brush, ID medallion, puppy harness,chew bone, soap and flea treatment, for each of our puppies. This kit went to our volunteer puppy raising families when they took home a new 8 week puppy 'into their hearts and into their homes for 12 months of vital socialisation, love, affection and early training to help us provide more assistance dogs for many families faced with disability.

Duffy Books in Homes provides free books, three times a year, to over 100,000 New Zealand children in low-decile schools. For every twenty seven Christmas cards purchased from The Giving Tree one child will receive all the benefits of the Duffy programme for an entire year.

Duffy Books in Homes vision is to break the cycle of booklessness in New Zealand by inspiring a love of books in Duffy children so they become adults who inspire a love of reading.

Children receive a minimum of five brand new books of their choice each year at no charge.  In addition, children can earn weekly 'Caught Being Good' book awards as well as other awards for effort and attitude.  Prominent New Zealand Role Models present the books and spread the message 'It's Cool to Read and Cool to Achieve!'

Visit us at www.booksinhomes.org.nz

How we spent the money

In 2015, 66 children received a minimum of five brand new books of thier choice thanks to the generosity of businesses working with The Giving Tree.
Many of these children have little or no reading material in their homes so the gift of reading will make an enourmous difference to their lives.
Duffy Books in Homes celebrates its 21st birhtday in 2015 and we're thrilled that The Giving Tree and its supporters have been able to contribute to the more than 10 million books we have distributed since 1994.

For most of us Christmas means joy, and an opportunity to relax with family and loved ones.  But for others this time of year brings financial pressures, isolation, violence or even thoughts of suicide. This Christmas and holiday season, thousands more New Zealanders will reach out to Lifeline Aotearoa.  We have over 100 trained volunteer phone counsellors, but rely solely on grants and donations to keep our 24/7 helpline, Kidsline and Suicide Crisis lines free to call, from any location nationwide.  By donating to Lifeline Aotearoa through the Giving Tree, you are helping to ensure that over Christmas, when New Zealands are reaching out for help, they have somewhere to turn.

Visit us at www.lifeline.org.nz

How we spent the money

"Thank you for answering my calls in some of my most darkest moments."

Amber
This is an email that our volunteer counsellors received recently.  It is a reminder that every one of the thousands of calls that Lifeline receives over the Christmas and holiday period comes at a time of anguish for the caller.

Look Good Feel Better offers free programmes into the community for any person, facing any cancer, in any region of New Zealand.

Look Good Feel Better is the only support charity dedicated to providing practical, effective programmes to help New Zealanders manage the visible side effects that cancer and its treatment can have on their appearance.

Look Good Feel Better classes aim to improve confidence, self esteem and well-being.  They are an opportunity to relax, do something practical, and connect with people who may be experiencing something similar.  Our local classses are free, and provide an experience for participants to gain control and normality at a time when treatment may have taken over thier lives.

We rely entirely on donations, the generosity of the cosmetic industry and the work of volunteers to keep supporting people impacted by cancer.  By choosing to donate through the purchase of The Giving Tree Christmas cards you help make a difference to people's lives when they need it most.  Every dollar goes directly to running the workshops. Please vist our website www.lgfb.co.nz or find us on Facebook LookGoodFeelBetterNZ

How we spent the money raised in 2015

Thank you - because of you Look Good Feel Better was able to service to increase the number of workshops we offer throughout the country.  You helped with our goal that no person need travel more than 30 minutes from home to a workshop site.  Christmas time is a busy time for our workshops, and thanks to your continued support we are able to offer an amazing experience to people facing cancer at this time.  We thank you very much for your generosity through The Giving Tree this Christmas.  Thank you for helping New Zealanders face thier cancer wth more confidence.

Macular Degeneration (MD) is a growing epidemic and is the leading cause of blindness in New Zealand.  One in seven people over 50 years of age will get MD.  If left untreated, MD leads to blindness.  With 1,500,000 people in the at risk age group, 160,000 diagnosed and 33,000 suffering from vision loss, the work of MDNZ is vital in saving sight for thousands of New Zealanders.

MDNZ aims to reduce the impact and incidence of MD in New Zealand by raising awareness, providing information, education and support and providing referral pathways to effective treatments and low vision aids.  Awareness is the key to saving sight and through the sale of these Christmas cards more people will know of MD, know of this eye disease and of the support provided by MDNZ.  As awareness grows so does the demand for services.  The 'save sight' helpline took four times the number of calls in 2014 over 2013, and three times the information packs were sent out.  For more information please visit our website www.mdnz.org.nz

How we spent the money

Last year was the first year MDNZ participated in The Giving Tree charity Christmas card fundraising and we were delighted to be chosen as a charity to support. Funds raised contributed to our programmes of awareness, education and support.  These include providing 49 seminars to 1740 people across New Zealand, receiving calls and providing support to over 900 callers, providing brochures and information packs at seminars, conferences and callers.

We are most grateful to those who choose MDNZ as their charity of choice - you are supporting the lives of thousands of New Zealanders.

Save the Children deliver world-class solutions and sustainable results for children in 120 countries.  We do whatever it takes to create a better future for children.

We are working to ensure that by 2030:

No children dies from preventable causes before thier fifth birthday

All children learn from a quality basic education

Violence against children is no longer tolerated

Save the Children responds to major emergency appeals around the world such as Vanuatu and Fiji after Cyclone Pam and Winstone and the Nepal earthquakes.

We also help children and their families to become strong and well prepared for disasters so that when they do strike children can continue thier education and their families can continue to earn a living.

Every time you buy a Christmas card from The Giving Tree and you nominate Save the Children, you're supporting thousands of children in our programmes across the Asia Pacific region and here in New Zealand.

Thank you for support in  helping us achieve change for children.

How we spent the money

UNICEF is the United Nations Children's Fund.  We are the world's leading aid agency for children and our mission is to create a better world for every child.  We achieve this by making sure that the rights of children all over the world are recognised and protected.

The money raised from the sale of these cards will be used to support UNICEF's response to the present crisis in Syria.  There are hundreds of thousands of traumatised children who need access to clean water, sanitation, health care and education.  We are also providing clothing and blankets for the upcoming winter.  Your support will be gratefully received.

To learn more please visit our website  www.unicef.org.nz/syria

How we spent the money

A big thank you to The Giving Tree and everyone who buys a Christmas card in 2015.  The funds raised from the sale of cards will continue to support our work with vulnerable children affected by the Syrian crisis.  The money donated from the sale of last year's cards went to help provide lifesaving supplies such as clean water, vaccines, clothing, shelter and medical supplies and life changing education and psychological support.  The situation for Syrian children is desperate, forced from thier homes, often traumatised they are arriving across the borders into surrounding countries exhausted, dehydrated and frightened.  They live in camps or with local families and thier resources are stretched.  We urgently need support to continue providing water, health care, education, blankets and winter clothing kits for the coming winter.  Your support by purchasing Christmas cards will be gratefully received.  To learn more please visit our website www.unicef.org.nz/syria