Non-Profit Storytime Foundation To Hit Major Milestone In Its Support Of Vulnerable Families

After launching its Pepeha Cloth Book last year in a new ‘buy one, give one free’ model to aid distribution to vulnerable families throughout the motu, the Aotearoa charity Storytime Foundation is about to reach its biggest number yet: 400,000, the number of books delivered to tamariki through the Strong Beginnings for Our Children, Hei Takinga Rangatira mō ngā Tamariki programme (previously known as First 1000 Days), which has now benefitted over 95,000 families since 1997.

The upcoming milestone underscores the power of storytelling and reading to babies and tamariki in their first 1,000 days, fostering early language development, secure attachments, and cultural identity – outcomes backed by extensive evaluations of the programme. By partnering with 163 organisations, including Well Child and Family Start professionals (over 400 trained), Storytime Foundation ensures books reach homes where they spark serve-and-return interactions.

These back-and-forth exchanges of verbal and non-verbal communications, where the parent responds to the infant’s cue and the infant responds to the parent’s signals, helps babies and young children learn how to regulate their emotions, develop language and social skills, and form secure attachments with their whānau, in a way that other activities, such as playing on tablets or watching TV, do not.

Tracey Hudson, a South Auckland-based mother whose children have benefitted from Storytime says, “Storytime has been such a gift for our whānau. We first heard about it through Mokopuna Ora, and ever since then the books have become a special part of our home. Having beautiful, free books that reflect Te Reo Māori and our New Zealand culture has made our kids even more excited to read. Our youngest carries her texture book everywhere, and it’s those little moments – snuggling up with a new book, seeing their eyes light up at a story that feels like ‘us’ – that show the real difference Storytime has made in their lives.”

Gilli Sinclair, the Chief Executive of Storytime Foundation, says, “The combination of persistence and partnership has led us to this landmark achievement. Over years of work we have formed the evidence base that underpins the value of what we do; our programmes prove that just five minutes of daily reading, telling stories to babies and young children, builds intergenerational literacy and whānau bonds. From te reo Māori and bilingual titles that support cultural journeys, to tailored resources in prisons, these books equip parents with confidence to nurture their pēpi – even in challenging circumstances.

“Our Pepeha Cloth Book was released in September as the first output from our Foundation’s new social enterprise offshoot, Storytime Books. It was an important release which pushed us towards the upcoming milestone of 400,000 books. It was designed with images to support whānau to have important conversations with their babies about their culture and identity. This number, 400,000, represents countless connections between parents, caregivers, and children.

“We are proud to serve tamariki and their whānau in Aotearoa who are experiencing adversity, and we are still the only agency delivering free books and information to homes through Well Child providers, to enhance early attachment, build cohesive families, and improve social outcomes. Even as we celebrate this milestone, the work continues.”

These efforts highlight reading's role in breaking cycles of disadvantage, with providers noting huge speech gains in tamariki by age two. As a registered charity (CC22735) funded by partners like Tindall Foundation and NZ Lotteries, Storytime Foundation invites donations – $50 covers one child's full programme. All donations are tax deductible.

As for most charities, reliable funding streams are always needed, and Storytime relies on ongoing funding from donors, patrons, and other supporters to ensure that its evidence-backed approach makes a significant and positive difference in the lives of babies and their families.

Fact Sheet

• Since 1997 the Storytime Foundation’s Strong Beginnings for Our Children, Hei Takinga Rangatira mō ngā Tamariki programme has:
  • Benefitted over 95,000 families
  • About to reach 400,000 books given out
  • Trained over 400 Well Child and Family Start professionals
• The Foundation’s programme reaches families with children up to three years of age and delivers up to eight books per family.
• Since 2004 the Foundation has raised over $4.5 million to benefit families and expand the First 1000 Days programme.
• Storytime Foundation’s funding partners include the Tindall Foundation, NZ Lotteries, Foundation North, Te Rau Puāwai Education Trust, Rotorua Trust, Rātā Foundation, Todd Foundation, and Bay Trust. We also acknowledge the generosity of Community Trust of Southland, Ara Poutama Aotearoa / Department of Corrections, Four Winds Foundation, ILT Foundation, the Ministry of Education, Are Direct NZ Ltd, Oxford Sports Trust, Tauranga Energy Community Trust, New Zealand Micrographic Services, Trust Waikato, TSB Community Trust, The Gift Trust, WEL Energy Trust, and Wellington Community Foundation.
• The Foundation works with a number of partner agencies to ensure books reach homes and tamariki where they are needed:
  • With Ara Poutama Aotearoa / Department of Corrections, Storytime Foundation's Taonga mō ngā Tamariki (Treasures for our Children) initiative has delivered:
    • 50 child-centric visits using books and activities to enrich prison visiting days for parents and tamariki with whānau.
    • 350 programmes sharing reading, storytelling, singing, and play benefits, with culturally relevant books building skills and identity.
    • 4,500 care packs for tamariki in vulnerable situations.
    • Across 19 prisons and their probation services, including using books and activities to enhance the experience of Visiting Day in prison between parent and child when visiting with whānau.
    • Taonga mō ngā Tamariki (is focused on the ages of 0 to 12 years and delivered to parents/caregivers (which may include grandparents, stepparents, other caregivers) who are under the care of Ara Poutama Aotearoa / Department of Corrections. The initiative shares with parents and caregivers the benefits of reading, storytelling, singing and playing with children. It gives whānau access to a choice of books and resources tailored to their languages and interests, and that support their culture and identity. It provides them with the skills, confidence, and encouragement to play with and read to their tamariki.
• The extensive evidence base underpinning the work of the Storytime Foundation shows that regularly reading aloud to babies and young children results in significant development in children’s language skills and future literacy, because the language in books is richer and more diverse than in everyday conversations.
  • Being read to also extends a range of children’s cognitive abilities, including memory, attention, and problem-solving skills. It helps develop vital social and emotional skills and self-esteem in children.
  • A caregiver taking time to read to their child – especially as a baby – is a key driver of early attachment. While ongoing experiences of neglect, stress or trauma can seriously impede development, early attachment can return children who have experienced adversity to normal biological function, creating equal opportunities in life for all tamariki in Aotearoa.
• People who have engaged with the programme have said:
  • “I engaged with drugs and alcohol instead of engaging with my kids.”
  • “The Storytime sessions give our parents something positive to focus on. You can see the pride in them when they read to their children.” – Corrections officer
  • “I’ve seen parents transform from feeling disconnected to genuinely enjoying their time with their children.” – Clinician
  • “Children, are children for a limited time. But crisis, trauma, and household needs may last longer than the child is a child. Preoccupied & anxious whanau need tools to be present with their child, so that the child knows that no matter what is going on someone sees them, considers them and cares right now. Enter Storytime…We love to see parents who are not sure about parenting, connect with their child with one on one time, reading, pointing at pictures, making animal noises…” – Colleen Fakalogotoa, Chief Executive, Family Success Matters
  • “Books for Babies is a great way to help build loving, caring relationships between parents and children - something that’s vitally important to children’s health and development. Each year our nurses see over 75% percent of families with new babies, so we are uniquely placed to help support and deliver the programme. Books for Babies is a great fit for Whānau Āwhina Plunket and has further enabled us to offer a greater depth of parenting support to families through the provision of resources.” – Fiona Kingsford, Chief Executive, Whānau Āwhina Plunket

About Storytime Foundation

The non-profit Storytime Foundation serves tamariki and their whānau in Aotearoa who are experiencing adversity. It is the only agency delivering books and information, free, into homes through well child providers, to enhance early attachment, build cohesive families, and improve social outcomes. Since 2004 the Storytime Foundation Trust has assisted more than 81,500 families and distributed more than 326,000 books (as at 30 December 2023) to vulnerable children and their families, using reading and stories to help strengthen and enhance the bond between parent and child early in life.

Storytime Foundation provides programmes including First 1000 Days, which delivers books into homes with children up to three years of age, and Taonga mō ngā Tamariki, which supports parents/caregivers under Corrections care.

Storytime Foundation collaborates with a number of partner agencies to deliver books, and to date has raised over $4.5 million to benefit families and expand the First 1000 Days programme, which delivers up to eight books per family.

Storytime Foundation’s funding partners include the Tindall Foundation, NZ Lotteries, Foundation North, Te Rau Puāwai Education Trust, Rotorua Trust, Rātā Foundation, Todd Foundation, and Bay Trust. We also acknowledge the generosity of Community Trust of Southland, Ara Poutama Aotearoa / Department of Corrections, Four Winds Foundation, ILT Foundation, the Ministry of Education, Are Direct NZ Ltd, Oxford Sports Trust, Tauranga Energy Community Trust, New Zealand Micrographic Services, Trust Waikato, TSB Community Trust, The Gift Trust, WEL Energy Trust, and Wellington Community Foundation.

Storytime Foundation launched its social enterprise offshoot Storytime Books in 2024, as a means to create and publish unique books for tamariki in Aotearoa. These books are available for anyone to purchase in a ‘buy one, give one free’ model to aid distribution to vulnerable families throughout the motu.

Storytime Foundation is a registered charitable trust (CC22735). A $50 donation will cover the cost of one child completing the programme. All donations are tax deductible.

© Scoop Media