Mayor Fund for the Pacific plans in place

It’s a year now since Cyclone Evan and cyclone season in the Pacific is upon us again, as Cyclone Haiyan has so drastically reminded us.

In response to Cyclone Evan last year, the Mayor established the Mayoral Fund for the Pacific. In recognition of Auckland’s place as the world’s biggest Pacific city, the Fund provides a place for Aucklanders to contribute funds and to assist with family-to-family support for our Pacific neighbours.

The Pacific leaders who have been asked to guide the Mayoral Fund for the Pacific (MFP) have been busy, and have now put in place plans that will enable a coordinated response in any future events.

Experience from previous severe weather events shows that Auckland’s Pacific communities are skilled at providing family-to-family support at such times, but that it can difficult to coordinate such efforts across Auckland.

In light of this, the leaders of the MFP have come forward with response plans for Samoa, Cook Islands, Nuie, Tokelau, Tuvalu, Tonga and Fiji. These plans will be actioned when any of these nation’s governments officially declare a state of emergency. Auckland Civil Defence will also play a part in the coordination required to send goods to families in need.

The Mayoral Fund’s focus is on raising funds that can support the coordination of family-to-family disaster response efforts, as well as disaster preparedness projects that build long-term community resilience in the Islands.

Cash is king, and tax deductible donations into the Fund can be made at any time.
The Fund is managed by Auckland Communities Foundation (ACF) and donations should be made through ACF as follows:
Via the ‘donate now’ function on the ACF website www.aucklandcf.org.nz
Via direct payment to the ACF bank account (with reference ‘MFP’ to ASB Bank account 12-3028-0714703-00)
Via cheque made payable to ‘Auckland Communities Foundation Mayoral Fund for the Pacific’ and sent to PO Box 26087, Epsom 1334

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