GENEROUS LOCAL DONORS GROW THE FUND During Craigs Investment Partners’ long association with Acorn they introduced some donors, notably Colin Toop, who named his fund in honour of his wife and son. His death in February 2006 marked a significant bequest to the Acorn fund. Each year around $50,000 is distributed on behalf of the Colin Toop Fund. “The aims and objectives of the Acorn Foundation fulfil my requirements exactly,” said Mr Toop. Eva Trowbridge was another early donor, one who saw Acorn as solving the problem of how best to ensure money accumulated by her family made a difference in the future. She and her sister married brothers. They all emigrated from England and neither couple had children. Eva was the last to die, leaving a legacy to assist in continuing education via the Eva Trowbridge Scholarship. Eva had no tertiary education herself and was a cleaner at the Tauranga hospital for 25 years, proving you did not have to be ‘rich and famous’ to make a difference through Acorn. The Eva Trowbridge Scholarship provides annually for a worthy adult student to further their career through study at the University of Waikato Tauranga campus. The first recipient,
Michaela Kamo, became an Immunisation Advocate for the Western Bay of Plenty Primary Health Organisation, helping keep children out of Tauranga Hospital, the very place Eva worked for so many years. By the end of 2006 the Acorn Foundation had attracted 24 endowment funds and had their first $1 million invested. The appointment of Nicky Wilkins as Executive Officer marked a turning point for the Foundation. Nicky was a genuine people person with a strong marketing background. Her role was very clearly the acquisition and management of donors. To start the ball rolling the board members each gave Nicky 10 names to contact. She and the board members visited people personally and took every other opportunity to speak to appropriate groups like Rotary and Probus. A five-year-plan set targets for donor funds and allocated a marketing budget. Another idea Bill picked up in New York became part of Acorn’s personal touch. A donor profile card, including a photo and a story of their life, is produced for every donor. As funds are distributed the beneficiary receives a card about the donor, which really personalises the gift.