Cups of Kindness
This winter appeal invites everyday New Zealanders to turn a simple daily ritual into an act of generosity. Instead of buying your usual coffee, we’re asking people to donate the cost – just $5 to support women and children experiencing family violence. Every dollar raised goes toward providing safe nights, crisis support, and refuge for those in urgent need.
A skipped cup could mean warmth, comfort, and security for someone facing one of the hardest moments of their life. While the gesture may feel small, the impact is real and lasting. Donors are also given the option to donate a bundle of kindness which includes a cup of coffee, biscuit and safe night for $30.
Together, one cup at a time, we can show just how powerful kindness can be. A huge thank to everyone who has donated so far and our incredible partner Contact Energy.
WINTER APPEAL 2024
Safe Night Beds New Zealand’s most supportive mattress
In 2024, Women’s Refuge called on New Zealanders to support women and children experiencing family violence through our Safe Night Beds campaign. To illustrate the many ways in which Women’s Refuge helps women and children across Aotearoa, a one-of-a-kind, pop-up bed shop was created: Safe Night Beds.
Located in the Wellington CBD, the shop looked like just another retail outlet with large format signage, window decals and bed shop collateral. Inside, it features five bedroom set ups. While experiencing these recreated bedrooms, visitors were able to listen to stories of resilience, bravery and hope, told by well-known New Zealand actors such as Thomasin McKenzie through headsets, placed at the end of each bed.
The installation allowed everyday New Zealanders to experience an inside view of our mahi through the words of those who have used our services. The shop also represented the need for service. Unfortunately, last year, thousands of women and children needed the services of Women’s Refuge. Thank you to everyone who donated, including our amazing partner Contact Energy, to our Winter Appeal and ensured that women and children experiencing family violence have somewhere to turn when in crisis.
Campaign Creative Agency Partner: EightyOne
WINTER APPEAL 2023
The 17,680 Nights of July
The Longest-ever July
In any given month hundreds of women and children need our help in finding somewhere safe to begin building lives free from violence. On average, each whānau who comes to us for help stays for 26 days, some for much longer.
A Safe Night is just the beginning for our clients – a crucial start to a long process that involves numerous nights with us and is so much more than just a safe place to sleep. When a woman and her children enter our service, we support them in whatever they need to begin their healing journey.
For this year’s winter appeal, we started with an ambitious goal. We created a giant online calendar, with help from our incredible partner Eighty One, and asked New Zealanders to help us book out all the required Safe Nights. We aimed to raise 17,680 nights of safety for all the women and children wanting to escape family violence in July.
And together we did it. In fact, with our kind partner Contact Energy matching 10,000 nights, we reached a truly life-changing 26,219 nights.
We are incredibly grateful to all our supporters and partners who purchased a Safe Night and gave a woman and her children a chance to begin building a life that does not revolve around anxiety and fear.
WINTER APPEAL 2022
Great Night In for Women's Refuge
On Sunday July 17, Kiwis across the country cosied up for the Women’s Refuge Great Night In, and in doing so gifted an incredible 14,628 Safe Nights to protect women and children at risk of domestic violence.
Generous Kiwis across Aotearoa got ready for the country’s first Great Night In by ordering up the epic deals offered by Hell Pizza, Whittaker’s Chocolate, Garage Project, The Warehouse, Ceres Organics, AS Colour, Dermalogica, Delivereasy and Neon. Contact Energy came to the party by matching 5,000 Safe Nights donations and ThreeNow ran ad-free Great Night In favourites.
Kiwis backed the campaign in droves, buying up the Great Night In offers within days. The Great Night In’s generous partners added even more offers to keep up with demand.
All those who supported the Great Night In also gifted Safe Nights for women and children in need around Aotearoa. Each Safe Night keeps someone safe from family violence and gives them access to a safe bed, hot meals, security, and advice.
Campaign Creative Agency Partner: EightyOne
WINTER APPEAL 2021
Safe-Night-a-thon
We aimed to raise 10,000 Safe Nights in 10 days – and to sweeten the deal for our incredible donors, for every Safe Night purchased they went in the draw to buy one of eleven ‘money-can’t-buy’ experiences, including: Hannah & Beauden Barrett drop your kids at school, design your own Whittaker’s flavour, play minigolf with Ashley Bloomfield, have NZSO play a private concert at your house, Benee sing you a happy birthday, Joanna Lumley record a voicemail for you, design a Barbie with Karen Walker, Hilary Barry & Jeremy Wells clean your house, ride along with Officers Minogue & O’Leary from Wellington Paranormal, grab a bite with Grant Robertson or climb a tree with Thomasin McKenzie!
We smashed our target and raised 12,791 Safe Nights in total.
Campaign Creative Agency Partner: EightyOne
