It’s quite a heavy cost that comes with these kinds of kaupapa, and on this occasion Fortune For Good came and helped ease the burden of costs: on our team, on our parents, and on our whānau.
For the Te Toka Tū O Waitaha under-14 Māori Rugby League team, the season carried a heavy load. Getting the squad to their tournament in Kerikeri asked a lot of every household, and the team fundraised hard to get there.
Fortune For Good is part of this league community. We’d seen the team’s fundraising and understood what the kaupapa was asking of each household, so we stepped in to take one big cost off the table.
On 22 July 2026, every player and the coaching staff received a full kit: jacket, training shirt, training shorts, trackpants and a backpack. Around $8,000 of gear, funded in full and presented to the team in person.
How it started
We’re part of the rugby league community, and we knew how expensive it was for these kids to get to Kerikeri. When the team’s fundraising appeal went up, that was our cue to step in.
What we did
We funded the full team kit, around $8,000 worth: jackets, training shirts, training shorts, trackpants and backpacks for all 23 players and the coaching staff, presented in person on 22 July 2026.
What changed
The team travels as one unit that looks the part, without their parents scraping to find the money. When money is tight, stress at home climbs; with the kit covered there’s less of that, and no parent had to tell their kid the gear was out of reach.
The moment that stuck
The happiness on the kids’ faces when the gear came out, and the quieter feeling behind it: knowing the burden had been lightened for 23 whānau at once.