Loren Anderson and Joel Zimmerman have deep roots in the region. Loren’s family has been farming in coastal Taranaki since the 1800s and the Zimmermans arrived in the 1800s from Poland and settled in Inglewood.

They say Taranaki has been good to their families and the couple have now found great work opportunities and are thriving here too. They have chosen to support the Taranaki Foundation because it will provide intergenerational support for the region they love.

Community-minded with a strong ethos for giving back, their philanthropy focus has been on supporting their local community through volunteering. Both have been very active in giving back to the community over the past 10 years, in various roles including mentoring, StartUp Taranaki, Taranaki Futures Accelerator programme and Taranaki Young Professionals.

“It’s always been a long-term objective of ours to give something back to the community. However, what that something looked like, we weren’t really sure what that would be,” says Joel.

The couple had been aware of the Foundation for a few years but have become much more familiar with its work since Loren joined the Taranaki Foundation in August 2021. She is on the Board, Chair of the Internal Controls & Risk Committee and a member of the Distribution Committee.

“My role with the Foundation revealed another path which enables us to direct our giving to where the current local need is. What really appeals to us is that this giving has intergenerational impact, the fund will exist in perpetuity,” Loren explains.

“Anyone can make a donation – or leave a gift in their will – for a local cause that’s important to them. The donation is invested, grown and gifted back to the community each year by the Foundation,” she explains.

The couple had discussed setting up a legacy fund with Taranaki Foundation through a gift in their Will. The real catalyst for activating this was when their son Abel was born in September. The pair met with lawyer Scott Chamberlain at Connect Legal Taranaki to update their wills and he suggested Taranaki Foundation as a vehicle to achieve their charitable objectives.

“Giving through Taranaki Foundation is just common sense for us really. It meets our long-term objective of giving back to the community in a lasting way,” says Joel.

Loren and Joel have chosen to keep the purpose of their fund intentionally broad.  They feel very confident that they are leaving their legacy in the right place.

“Some donors choose issues or organisations to support through Taranaki Foundation. For us, the Foundation decides where to distribute our funds,” says Joel. “I’m confident that our gift will go to where the greatest need is at the time.”