Herald Group joins workplace giving

Gisborne Herald Group is the latest organisation to join the Sunrise Workplace Giving programme. 

Catherine Chrisp, Gisborne Herald Group Company Accountant, says she was impressed with workplace giving as it makes it easy to give and donating $5 week is achievable for many people. 

The Gisborne Herald Group, which includes Te Rau Press and Office Product Depot, are well known as philanthropic supporters of a wide range of causes across our community.  Catherine says they are offering workplace giving to their staff because Sunrise is a local charity and all the funds stay in the Gisborne District. “These days you can’t always be sure the donation you give a charity isn’t going to disappear. Either out of the region, or wasted on overheads and admin costs. Sunrise doesn’t use any of the funds donated to pay for running costs and grants are only given to local charities and organisations. This was very appealing to us.” 

The Eastland Community Trust, J N Williams Memorial Trust and Clark Charitable Trust have sponsored the running cost of Sunrise for the first five years. Glenda Stokes, Sunrise Executive Officer, says this support has allowed Sunrise to concentrate on growing funds and supporting those in need in our community. “It has also given donors the confidence that 100% of their donation will help make a difference to our community.” 

She added “Sunrise workplace giving is a powerful way for our community to build a strong legacy for the future. If just one percent of the Gisborne district’s population donated $5 a week that would equate to over $170,000 per year. If those people gave for ten years, their donations (including income retained to protect the donations from inflation) would grow to over $2 million – all for the price of a cup of coffee. 

Catherine added that Sunrise’s endowment model (all donations are invested, protected and grown in line with inflation) is reassuring as the funds will be there for future generations to benefit from.  The surplus investment income is distributed to charities and organisations in the Gisborne District. She believes the Sunrise granting process, where applicants apply for funding for specific projects and are obligated to report back how the funds were spent, ensures there is  transparency and eliminates wastage.  “Workplace giving is sustainable giving with clear outcomes and accountability.” 

Staff at the Gisborne Herald, Te Rau Print and Office Product Depot can now donate to The Sunrise Foundation automatically through payroll and will not only get to see their donations working in our community, they will also enjoy an immediate tax benefit.  If someone chooses to donate $7.50 a week, the government pays $2.50 of that (PAYE), meaning only $5 is deducted from their pay packet.