Stories from the Sarah Lilli Fund

Tessa and Jayme*

Sandra is a single mother of three girls, one of whom is autistic. She struggles to provide food and clothing for her girls and because of this her younger daughters, Tessa and Jayme, miss out on many opportunities – including extra-curricular activities at school.

A Barnardos staff member suggested the family apply for funding through the Sarah Lilli Fund so that the girls could play a winter sport and of course they jumped at the chance!

Unfortunately they missed the deadline for all of the winter sports, but Tessa and Jayme were able to join the gymnastics team and have since represented their school at the Regionals. They’ve given up their lunch times to practice and love their new hobby.

Just over $160 paid for the girls’ gym fees and outfits.

Sam and Nick

Sam and Nick live with their grandparents because they were not receiving proper care from their mother. The family, which also includes the boys’ younger sister and their cousin, live in a small two-bedroom Housing New Zealand house. This leaves very little space for the boys to play games or activities.

The family, with the help of Barnardos, applied for funding through the Sarah Lilli Fund for Sam and Nick to attend Warrior Kids - a high impact adventure programme that enhances self-awareness, confidence, focus, self-defence, self-control and fitness. It helps kids to be kids.

Warrior Kids has helped the boys get into something active, and has enhanced the family’s way of life. The Sarah Lilli Fund was able to give this family just over $500 for Warrior Kids fees and kit.

Mark

Mark is a seven-year-old boy living at home with his mother Annette, who suffers from depression. School holiday time is always tough for Annette as she doesn’t have the finances available for Mark to do the things many other children get to do.

Through a grant from the Sarah Lilli Fund, Mark was able to attend a school holiday programme which helped both him and his mother immensely. Mark was able to interact with other kids and didn’t feel left out, and Annette had some much needed time out.

The cost of the programme was $200.


*All names and locations have been changed to protect the identities of the people in these stories.