In attendance (L-R): MP Grant Robertson, MP Metiria Turei , MP Todd McClay, Hon. Paula Bennett, MP Cam Calder, KidsCan CEO Julie Helson, Hon. Phil Goff

Press Release

28th July 2010

For Immediate Release

MPs Bare Their Soles for Kiwi Kids in Need
Barefoot Business Day 2010

New Zealand MPs, including the Hon. Paula Bennett, Hon. Phil Goff led by example today and bared their soles on the steps of Parliament to launch fundraising efforts for ‘Barefoot Business Day’.

Thousands of office workers across New Zealand also braved the cold and conducted their business day in bare feet for the fundraising initiative which aims to raise as much money as possible for the KidsCan StandTall Charitable Trust, who provide shoes and socks for the thousands of children who are going to school barefoot this winter.

KidsCan StandTall CEO, Julie Helson, says, “It’s fantastic to see our MPs leading the charge today for this important cause - next year we estimate we will need to provide more than 7000 pairs of shoes for Kiwi kids living in poverty.

“Every year in New Zealand hundreds of children are admitted to hospital with a severe foot cut or puncture wound due to not wearing sufficient footwear.

“Going without shoes in winter has a serious impact on children’s health and their ability to participate in classroom activities as footwear is fundamental to preventing illness and ensuring each child can participate across the wider range of activities and curriculum.”

Every $20 raised for ‘Barefoot Business Day’ will buy a pair of shoes and two pairs of socks for a child waiting for support and KidsCan StandTall is encouraging as many businesses as possible to get behind the appeal and support children in our own backyard.

100% of funds raised will go towards the ‘shoes for kids’ programme.

ENDS.

About KidsCan

KidsCan StandTall Charitable Trust is a national charity dedicated to ensuring all Kiwi kids affected by poverty can look forward to a brighter future. The Trust delivers three targeted programmes, Shoes for Kids, Food for Kids and Raincoats for Kids which remove the physical barriers preventing children in low decile schools from getting to and through the school gates in a position to learn.

KidsCan StandTall initiatives currently support more than 39,000 children in 183 low decile schools across New Zealand with 15,000 pairs of shoes and 30,000 pairs of socks given out since 2006. The Trust also provides a crisis food programme in partnership with the Ministry of Social Development for 20,000 hungry children a week and in September KidsCan will hand out its 50,000th adidas All Blacks raincoat. There are 120 schools waiting for support from KidsCan StandTall.

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