Big Buddy

We have the BEST village. Back in March, Travis Field and the team at Fantail and Turtle (the #1 Gastropub in NZ!) hosted a stellar fundraising lunch for Big Buddy. Thanks to the incredible support of our guests and donors they raised over $50k for Big Buddy, and we are so grateful! These funds will go towards helping us make a positive difference in the lives of not just the Little Buddy, but their mum, their Big Buddy and the community around them. At this event we were privileged to hear from Jody (mum of Little Buddy Kobi) and Mark, his Big Buddy, who shared their inspiring stories and the impact that Big Buddy has had on their lives. Also, a huge thank you to Michael Dearth for being our guest speaker, and all the companies that donated products to the lunch, the auction, and those who bought a table - you have all made a lasting difference to so many lives. Time and products donated by: Steve Bennett MW, Cafe Hanoi, Baduzzi, Skipperi, Dominion Constructors Ltd, SkyCity Entertainment Group, Grant Fox, 16 Tun, Action Ninja World, Kris Cunningham (Ray White), Continental Cars, Planet Wine, The Blues, Tree Adventures, North Shore Aero Club, Torpedo7 Group Ltd, Flaxmill Bay, Glow Lab Ltd, bathroom genie limited, SnowplanetNZ, Hobbiton™ Movie Set, Sudima Hotels, Off Road NZ, Rotorua Canopy Tours, Rotorua Duck Tours, Food Snob, Sawmill Brewery, Hallertau Brewery, WILD ESTATE, Parrotdog, Vintners New Zealand, Steve Smith MW. #BigBuddyNZ #MentoringMatters #ThankYou #FundraisingSuccess #CommunityImpact #InspiringStories #MakingADifference #Gratitude #SupportLocal #YouthEmpowerment #CommunitySupport #ThankYou #YouthMentoring

17 Little Buddies embarked on an unforgettable 5-day adventure at the Hillary Outdoors . This experience wasn't just about fun; it was a journey of self-discovery and growth. A huge thank you to our sponsors of this event: Hillary Outdoors and The Board of Trustees of the Society of Emissaries Charitable Trust c/o Geoff and Linda Tisch. Your support has made a huge difference to these boys, their families and our wider Big Buddy village. Read about their adventures... https://lnkd.in/g8mh76QQ #ittakesavillage #leadership #growth #selfdiscovery

Thank you to Kirsten Leng - The Leadership Ally for generously supporting Big Buddy. We are thrilled that Steven Sobota, Operations Manager, will be able to attend the next 90-day leadership accelerator course with a full scholarship. Training is crucial to ensure we continue to develop our people and the programmes we offer to our community. Incredibly grateful for the support. Best of luck Steve! #ittakesavillage #leadership #developement #professionaldevelopment #training #scholarship

It takes a village.... Huge thank you to Quality Product Research (Quotemonster) and The Good Registry - gifting goodness for making this happen. Such a simple concept, yet makes such a difference. Of course, huge shout out to Zhan Viljoen for selecting us as your charity of choice. The funds received will go towards matching more Big Buddies with Little Buddies on our wait list. #TakesaVillage #MentoringMatters #PositiveDifference #BigBuddyNZ #GoodGuys #postitiverolemodels

Check out the inspiring transformation of Boshu, who has evolved from an unsettled young boy to a confident Little Buddy, ready to take on any challenge, all thanks to his Big Buddy Ryno! Read more here - https://lnkd.in/gSZahghq Thank you to Alice, Boshu & Ryno for allowing us to share your story. #MentoringMatters #PositiveDifference #BigBuddyNZ #GoodGuys #postitiverolemodels

We are excited to announce that Christie Stuart will be joining the Big Buddy team as our new Partnerships Manager. She will work with our Corporate Partners and Donors on fundraising ideas, opportunities and events. Christie is no stranger to the Big Buddy family supporting fundraising events over the past few years. Her career has spanned stadiums, sports, tourism, museums, sponsorship, events, and corporate community fundraising.   Partnerships and relationships are what Big Buddy is all about. If you would like to make contact with Christie, please reach out through her LinkedIn profile or email christie@bigbuddy.org.nz   Welcome to the Big Buddy Village, Christie; your enthusiasm and energy are already starting to rub off on us all! #newstarter #BigBuddyNZ #TakesAVillage

We have always known that the team at Fantail and Turtle are number #1, and now it's official! Supreme Champions!! Congratulations to Travis Field, James, Aroha and all the team. Great to see your mahi recognised. We are thrilled that we get to work with such a fantastic bunch and are always so humbled by your support and generosity. #Partner #MajorPartner Smales Farm

If you know of a good guy who would be a great Big Buddy please suggest they find out more about volunteering to make a positive difference to a boy without a dad in his life, or simply tag them below. They don't have to be a superhero, just a good guy with a few hours to spare each week. Someone who can offer friendship and support and be a good male role model to a boy aged between 7 and 14. To find out more about the difference a Big Buddy can make click: https://lnkd.in/gF2eFtGp

Thank you to our friend Joe Cosedine, who has selected Big Buddy as his charity of choice for the up-and-coming Forsyth Barr Limited event celebrating International Woman's Day. Take a look at the event link below to find out more...

Big Buddy’s generous foundation partner, @gjgardnerhomesnz , and a hugely generous South Auckland tradie community have raised close to $100,000 to support South Auckland boys.   The money raised will be vital to Big Buddy’s on-going work to bring together Big and Little Buddies - there are currently 30 boys waiting to be matched with a Big Buddy in South Auckland. Nation-wide the waiting list is 130.   And it couldn't have been done without the help and support of G.J Gardner Homes Papakura franchise and over 20 local tradies who gave their time and skills, reduced rates or donated hardware.   We can't thank you all enough. You have made a huge positive difference to so many boys. The ripple effect of this will be felt in the local community for years to come.   Thank you to all the tradies: Taylor Superclad, Affordable Group NZ, NZ Brick Distributors, CARTERS, Pink®, Batts®- Comfortech Building Performance Solutions™ (Fletcher Building), @Doorwards, @Gerard Roofs NZ, @Go Fox Electrical and Plumbing, Vision Windows Ltd, Plumbcraft, Bestboys, @Plumbing World Pukekohe, @Huntley Joinery, Doors2000, Tile Depot, Showerwell Home Products, @kevin A Booth Law, Harveys Real Estate Fisher & Paykel Appliances Flooring Junction.