$150,000 Boost to Help Keep Families Together During Hospital Care
Rapid Relief Team (RRT) has cemented its long-term partnership with Ronald McDonald House Charities® New Zealand (RMHC® NZ) through a $150,000 donation to help parents stay close to their children during hospital treatment.
The donation comes in response to a $500,000 fundraising drive by RMHC NZ.
The charity expects to support more than 4,500 families this year. With Houses regularly operating at full capacity, there has been an increasing need to arrange additional accommodation for families who would otherwise face barriers to staying close to their loved ones.
The contribution by RRT will directly fund 427 nights of stays. With families staying for an average of seven days, the contribution is expected to support over 60 families.
This latest support builds on a long-standing partnership. Since 2021, RRT has donated 11,890 Care Kits to Ronald McDonald Houses and Family Rooms in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Invercargill, providing practical essentials to families during their stay. RRT has also committed to donating a further 4,500 Care Kits in 2026.
To mark the donation, which represents 30 per cent of the $500,000 fundraising target, RRT had a plaque installed in the main entrances of the Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch Houses.
“We are incredibly grateful for the continued support of the Rapid Relief Team,” says RMHC NZ Chief Executive, Lisa Tai.
“Since 2021, RRT has supported families staying with us through thousands of Care Kits, which have been extremely well received by families who sometimes arrive with little more than the clothes on their backs. This latest donation will help ensure many more parents can remain close to their child during treatment – creating a real and lasting impact.”
Reflecting on the donation, Paul Simmons, RRT New Zealand’s General Manager, said:
“When loved ones need medical care, being close to them matters.
“At RRT, we are passionate champions of RMHC NZ’s work to help families stay together. We are therefore very pleased to make this donation, which has been made possible by the generous support provided by our donors.
“Funding 427 nights of accommodation means more families stay together without the added stress that hospital care can bring.
“This donation represents RRT’s defining values of providing practical, tangible assistance when it is needed most.”
About RRT
As the charitable arm of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, RRT supports communities across New Zealand through emergency relief, frontline worker support and targeted charitable partnerships.
These efforts reflect the Plymouth Brethren faith, which encourages members to support their communities through care, service and practical assistance.
Established in 2013 to assist emergency services and communities in times of disaster and crisis, RRT now operates globally with more than 16,500 volunteers providing food, donations and practical support.
For more information on RRT, please go to www.rrtglobal.org/.
