About Spark Foundation
Givealittle
Spark Foundation is the proud owner of Givealittle, New Zealand’s most popular crowdfunding website. Givealittle connects those in need with those who want to help and in the last 10 years has facilitated over $100 million in donations for New Zealand. Givealittle is for:
- Charities, clubs, schools and not-for profits
- People with great ideas that make a difference
- Fundraisers on a mission to help their favourite cause or charity
- Donors who value a neutral platform to support a variety of causes
Spark Jump
Spark Jump is a not-for-profit and community driven programme which enables more children to go online outside of classroom hours and get on the right side of the digital divide.
Spark Jump provides an easy, plug-in-and-go broadband solution for parents with a free modem preloaded with 30GB and top ups at only $10 for 30GB of data. This prepaid and contract-free service uses Skinny wireless 4G broadband.
Spark Jump currently has 149 sign-up points around New Zealand managed by 4 key community partners. To date, it is estimated that over 5,000 children (from 1900 families) now have access to the internet at home thanks to Spark Jump.
Partnerships
Spark Foundation have a catalytic and strategic philanthropic approach and invest in multi-year partnerships with organisations striving to achieve meaningful social impact and systems change in New Zealand.
Spark Foundation's current partnerships are with organisations that focus on building the skills and capabilities young people will need for their digital futures.
These include:
Spark Volunteer
Everyone who works at Spark New Zealand receives a paid volunteer day to go out and do good in the community. Spark employees are encouraged to use their skills to volunteer with charitable organisations in the most impactful way possible. Spark Foundation has parterned with the platforms HelpTank and Voluntari.ly to help Spark employees to do this.
More Information on Voluntari.ly
Spark Give
Spark Give is a payroll giving programme which enables Spark people to donate to any New Zealand school and registered charity directly from their pay. Spark Foundation matches on the first $500 of giving each year through this programme.
Since Spark Give launched in 2011, donations from Spark people and Spark Foundation’s matching has seen over $6 million go to 1,032 New Zealand schools and charities.
Meet the team
Spark Foundation Ambassadors
The Foundation has a network of Spark people who are so passionate about the Spark Foundation, they are official ambassadors. Spark Foundation Ambassadors are in Spark offices around New Zealand and help with local generosity campaigns and assist with spreading the messages to other Spark people.
Spark People
Spark people play an extremely important role and through the Spark Foundation, they can support the charities they choose to support via programmes such as payroll giving, volunteering and Givealittle. The Foundation encourages all Spark people to get involved and have fun doing good!
The Spark Foundation Board
Andrew Pirie
Andrew joined Spark New Zealand in October 2012. He is responsible for Spark New Zealand's external communications, engagement with key stakeholders including government (central and local) and community groups, and internal employee communications. Andrew is one of New Zealand's most experienced communications professionals with an extensive international background. He returned to New Zealand in 2008 after more than a decade overseas as Asia Pacific head for Weber Shandwick, one of the world’s biggest PR consulting firms. In recent years Andrew has acted as an advisor for significant New Zealand companies including Fonterra and Auckland Airport. His industry experience spans a wide range of sectors including financial services, aerospace, technology, property, healthcare, energy and tourism.
Stacey Morrison
A New Zealand media personality for more than 25 years, Stacey is motivated to inspire others, especially in the Māori community, through the platform that her career in radio and broadcasting has provided. She is an advocate for education and has extensive involvement in the charitable sector. Supporting learning is where Stacey's passions and the Spark Foundation's objectives converge. Stacey works to champion Te Reo and active learning inside the home and alongside her husband Scotty, has co-authored a book 'Māori at Home: a guide for everyday families.' Stacey will draw on her extensive experience in the charitable sector as an Ambassador for several organisations including the children's charity Variety, NZ Breast Cancer Foundation, Water Safety New Zealand and formerly as a UN Goodwill Ambassador.
Casey Eden
Casey is the co-founder and Managing Director of Neighbourly and previously one of the foundation team behind GrabOne. Casey brings considerable experience and insights into the online and start-up world, which will add value as Givealittle continues to grow and evolve. Also as a former national softball representative Casey is passionate about encouraging all New Zealanders to tackle life head on. Now, with his involvement with Neighbourly, he’s enjoying seeing the changes that take place in Kiwi communities throughout the country as neighbours connect.
Lisa Barwell
Lisa Barwell is re-joining the Foundation Board of Trustees after previously serving as the employee People’s Champion representative from 2015 – 2017. In her day job, Lisa leads our Business Contact Centre team based in Christchurch. Outside of work, she is a passionate supporter of the Breast Cancer Foundation and the annual Pink Ribbon Appeal day.
Lisa Paraku
Lisa Paraku is the Business Manager, Māori for Spark, based in Wellington. Lisa hails from Hauraki, and she is a proud wife and mum to six blended kids of Māori, Pākēha, German and Chinese descent. Her working career has seen roles in hospitality, tertiary education, health as well as ICT. Lisa has a strong passion for volunteer work, especially in the areas of health, education and the wellbeing of Māori (last year she took a sabbatical from Spark to pursue community work, including promoting Spark Jump among Māori communities). Lisa serves on multiple committees and trusts, on behalf of government, iwi and community interests.
Kelly Baxter
Kelly is Senior Legal Counsel at Spark, based in Auckland. She has worked on key strategic matters for Spark that have delivered pioneering innovation in the mobile and sports content markets, including advising on Spark’s bid for New Zealand broadcast rights for Rugby World Cup 2019. Prior to joining Spark in 2017, Kelly worked with global retailer Tesco in the UK, where she also completed post-graduate study at the University of Oxford. Kelly has been active in the pro-bono legal space, including spearheading Tesco’s Community Law Centre partnership.