Simon Wickham
<h2>Social media campaigns have helped dozens of New Zealand charities secure $1million in funding in less than two weeks through an online community initiative.</h2>
<p>Hundreds of thousands of votes have been cast by Kiwis from around the country, to determine the allocation of $1 million amongst more than 30 charities, schools and other organisations.</p>
<p>The community groups profiled on the online voting platform took to social media to spread the word about their cause, asking fans to cast a free vote once a day, each day, with $5 provided by the fund for every vote.</p>
<p>Simon Wickham CEO of ‘The Trusts’ West Auckland, the group behind the charitable initiative, says the votes were cast more than twice as fast as the previous year.</p>
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<p>“Thanks to the support of thousands of Kiwis, some charities were able to reach their funding targets within just four days of the voting platform launching.</p>
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<p>Wickham says social media provided the causes with a low cost method of encouraging support and raising awareness.</p>
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<p>“We were thrilled to see how these groups were able to bring their supporters together to vote for their cause in such a short space of time,</p>
<p>“We understand it can be hard for charities to meet their objectives each year and we were pleased to be able to offer a way to reach their goals quickly and without them having to invest a huge amount of resource to drive support,” he says.</p>
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<p>Wickham said the community groups on the established platform also received a significant boost to their public profile.</p>
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<p>“Over the last fortnight, the Million Dollar Mission site has received up to 15,000 visitors a day, which helps raise awareness for these groups well beyond this initiative,” he says.</p>
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<p>The charity that received the largest allocation was the Well Foundation which will receive $100,000 towards a new infant incubator to provide a reliable method of safely transporting premature and unwell babies between hospitals for potentially life saving tests.</p>
<p>Wickham says the Foundation raised around $9000 per day by leveraging social media to encourage engagement and voting among the New Zealand public.</p>
<p>The 32 charities, schools, and community groups will receive their funds at a special giving back ceremony held in May in West Auckland.</p>
<h2>Schools and organisations to receive donations included:</h2>
<p>Royal Road School, Waitakere Hindi Language and Cultural School, Zeal Education Trust &#8211; West Auckland, Henderson High School, Ranui Primary School, Kelston Primary School Board of Trustees, Te Kura Kaupapa Maori O Hoani Waititi Marae, Kelston Boys High School.</p>

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