Mitsubishi backs good causes
Mitsubishi Motors New Zealand (MMNZ) has donated to five charities as it gives something back to the Kiwis and communities its vehicles help to support.
The staff-nominated organisations that will receive donations from MMNZ as part of Matariki are Taskforce Kiwi, Wellington Free Ambulance, Mary Potter Hospice, the Stroke Foundation NZ and the SPCA.
Warren Brown, chief executive officer, describes MMNZ as “an automotive business that puts people first in all that we do”.
“We’re proud to have been backed by hundreds of thousands of Kiwis over the years; many of them families over multiple generations, who have put their faith in us to be at the heart of their daily lives,” says Brown.
“We’re fortunate to be in a position to give something more to our communities, and that has become a key focus for us at this significant time each year.”
MMNZ’s donation to Taskforce Kiwi builds on a relationship that began in 2023 with the free loan of four Triton utes to support emergency response efforts in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle.
The volunteer organisation – consisting of former defence force, police and emergency services, among others – mobilised 165 of its members to assist in debris clearance, missing person searches, needs assessments and aid coordination in affected areas.
Richard Adams, Taskforce Kiwi national director, says: “The Tritons supplied by MMNZ proved vital to our work, enabling us to have a greater impact on the ground, because we could navigate uncertain and dynamic environments that we couldn’t have accessed without them.”
Following its initial agreement, MMNZ offered the use of three Triton utes for ongoing work across the country – one of which was used to help clear debris and deliver firewood in the wake of the flooding in Wairoa at the end of June 2024, which affected nearly 500 properties.
Brown adds that Taskforce Kiwi embodies “those great Kiwi traditions of volunteering, teamwork and endeavour”.
MMNZ staff gave various reasons for nominating the selected charities. Someone who nominated Mary Potter Hospice, which provides specialist palliative care services for people living in Wellington, Porirua and Kāpiti, said: “I have seen the benefits the hospice can provide and I’m incredibly grateful for them during a rough time. They will always require donations to carry out their work, and I think this is a great foundation for MMNZ to donate to.”
Brown notes all the charities are “superb causes" and the company was proud to support each of them and the work they do in helping to improve the wellbeing of Kiwis in our community.
