Air New Zealand & Koru Care
For over 35 years, Air New Zealand and Koru Care have had the privilege of creating once-in-a-lifetime experiences for Kiwi kids who need them the most. More than 2,000 children with a range of illnesses and disabilities have flown with Air New Zealand, enabling them to see the world, make dreams come true, and create some amazing memories where they otherwise might not be able to.
Originally started by a team of volunteers from Air New Zealand, Koru Care is now an official charity with four branches around New Zealand. Each of the four branches are independent and run by teams of dedicated volunteers. They each facilitate their own fundraising for the kids within their catchment area.
Koru Care and the amazing experiences it provides for kids in need wouldn't be possible without donations from willing Kiwis. Find out more about your local branch and how you can donate or get involved below.
Air NZ Koru Care flight 2021: Little Heroes
Thanks to LSG Sky Chefs New Zealand, Tip Top Ice Cream and Cookie Time Cookie for helping us spread some kindness
Koru Care branches
Koru Care NZ was established in 1983 with the aim to bring a little bit of joy into the lives of children with a serious illness or permanent disabilities. We have been helping these children for over 35 years and annually take 26 children to California for a 2-week holiday to forget about their worries for a while. Through all their hardships these children still have the capacity to smile, laugh and create good memories; they just need someone to wave the magic wand. Often, an injection of enjoyment helps to change a child's outlook, which can improve day-to-day life.
Find out more about the North Island branch.
Koru Care Christchurch raises miles of smiles to make dreams come true for special children with life-threatening illnesses and disabilities - the main focus being a trip of a lifetime to California. Our children forget for a short time their own serious medical issues and enjoy themselves as children should, they make lifetime memories and friends they will cherish forever.
This magical experience has proven to be educational, medically empowering, with personal growth in confidence, self-assurance & maturity. The social integration and awareness of others with medical issues often shifts the focus from themselves developing positive attitude changes to others.
The benefits of these trips have proven to be life-changing in so many powerful and inspirational ways.
Find out more about the Christchurch branch.
Koru Care Otago committee volunteers are focused on providing an annual holiday to the Gold Coast for twelve children from the Otago region. We want every child who travels with us to experience a happy Koru Care Otago family. We want our children to thrive in an environment of care and kindness. We want every child to recognise the good and the potential within themselves and we want to enable this. We want to support each child's positive identity as a valued member of the community. We want our children to have fun, push boundaries, take risks, feel safe, make authentic connections and return to New Zealand with a sense of joy, pride and achievement.
Find out more about the Otago branch.
Every year, for the past sixteen years, Koru Care Southland Charitable Trust has made dreams come true for children with different illnesses and disabilities. Koru Care Southland is made up of a group of committed Southlanders volunteering their time to help fundraise to take these kids on a holiday they will never forget. Every trip sees a number of lucky children winging their way to the USA or the Gold Coast for a week-long action-packed holiday of a lifetime! No theme park is left unvisited!
Find out more about the Southland branch.
