At Craigs Investment Partners, the holiday season isn’t just about gifts – it’s about giving back. Since 2019, in lieu of sending Christmas gifts across the country, Craigs has partnered with Community Foundations of Aotearoa NZ (CFANZ) and the Taranaki Foundation to bring a little extra holiday cheer to those in need.

Through their Workplace Giving Programme, Craigs employees can donate directly from their pay, with the company matching every contribution dollar for dollar, up to $500 per employee annually. This initiative allows the Craigs team to make a meaningful impact in their local communities, especially at Christmas, a time when many people face added challenges.

The Craigs New Plymouth team have been passionate Workplace Giving supporters. This year, the team has chosen to direct their $4,260 Christmas donation to support The Retreat/Waimanako and Operation Blue Santa through the Taranaki Foundation.

Local Craigs Investment Adviser Christine Egarr says deciding which charities to support is never easy.  “There are so many worthy causes in our region, and with fundraising harder than ever, we decided to focus our donation on two charities where our modest donation will have a real impact.”

She adds, “While Christmas is a time of joy for many, for others, it’s a difficult season. This understanding guided our choice of charities this year, and we’re grateful to partner with the Taranaki Foundation to make these gifts possible.”

Packing Day at Operation Blue Santa

Some of the Craigs team had the chance to see the impact of their donations firsthand. On December 4th, they volunteered for a shift at the Operation Blue Santa packing day, helping prepare 275 boxes and 50 baskets of food.

 Theresa Cayley with Sharyn Clarry, Sinead Fraser, Michael Trowern and Leonie Stone from the New Plymouth Craigs team.

Sinead Fraser, Craigs Senior Private Wealth Assistant said, “It was amazing to see how our donations were going to help local families in such a tangible way. Packing the food boxes and knowing how much they’ll mean to people in our community really brought the Christmas spirit to life. Participating in Workplace Giving and then seeing the impact of our donations in action was incredibly rewarding.”

Michelle Ramage from the Roderique Hope Trust, which runs Operation Blue Santa, also expressed their appreciation, saying, “We are so grateful to Craigs Investment Partners for their generosity this year. It’s heartwarming to know that these donations will directly impact so many families across Taranaki who need a little extra help this Christmas.”

Each Christmas food box provides $100 worth of groceries, and this year Operation Blue Santa will reach 550 families across the region with the help of police and social service agencies.

Supporting The Retreat/Waimanako

In addition to supporting Operation Blue Santa, Craigs also made a generous $2,000 donation to The Retreat/Waimanako.

Suzi Allen, from The Retreat/Waimanako, shared her gratitude for the donation: “We are so thrilled to be the lucky recipients of Craigs’ generosity this Christmas. The past year has been incredibly tough for so many, and increased requests for support have stretched our resources. This donation will allow us to continue offering a range of services, including our Kai for Koha café, which provides free meals for those in need. It’s support like this that makes it possible for us to continue doing our important mahi and helping those who need it most.”

Thank you to the team at Craigs for showing that giving a little often really does make a difference locally. Workplace giving is a very powerful way for our community to support itself and build a strong legacy for the future.

Theresa Cayley, Community Engagement Manager at the Taranaki Foundation, reflected, “The spirit of giving is at the heart of everything we do, and we’re so fortunate to work with partners like Craigs. Their commitment to supporting the Taranaki community, through both financial contributions and hands-on involvement, helps strengthen the fabric of our region.”