Projects
Freemasons Foundation supports a large number of organisations and projects across the community.
Whilst we don't detail all of those here - please see below for an overview of some of our recent and ongoing initiatives
The focus of our donations has historically been based on the care of the aged through medical research, training and education, spread across a wide circle of general health and welfare. This has now been extended to help our talented youth, both in science, education and the arts.
Our charitable donations are funded by the income derived from investing the proceeds of the 2005 sale of the Roskill Masonic Village. Since the sale we have made donations of over $15 million in the name of the Freemasons of New Zealand. Our goal is to support projects with over $1m each year.
Charitable Support in Action
World Choir Games 2024 - The Freemasons Foundation is a major supporter of the international World Choir Games 2024, known as the 'Choir Olympics' and hosted in New Zealand for the very first time.
Auckland University - The Foundation is a major funder of research at the Medical & Health Sciences Faculty of the University of Auckland, and in particular the Centre for Brain Research.
Major grants in recent times to the University have funded research into Kauri Dieback, Alzheimers, Huntington's Disease, Atrial Fibrillation and Optogenetics.
We were the founding supporters of the Middlemore Tissue Bank. The Tissue Bank has now been taken under the wings of the University and renamed the Auckland Regional Biobank.
Assistance to the community in the area of health includes Alzheimers New Zealand, Macular Degeneration New Zealand, Diabetes Auckland, Auckland City Mission and numerous others. A number of Hospices in the Northern area have also received our support.
Extending our care into the younger end of the community has been achieved in both health and the arts. We support Sistema Aotearoa and Chamber Music New Zealand
For several years we supported New Zealand Opera’s programme for training emerging young singers and their Chorus. This has given young talent the opportunity to study and develop to the highest levels. The Foundation is also a strong supporter of the New Zealand Opera Training School where singers are mentored and coached to the highest levels in a two week residential School.
Some of our more recent initiatives include supporting Trees for Survival - as part of a nationwide drive to plant over 123,000 native plants this year - engaging nearly 5,000 students, families and friends. Their goal is to create growing pockets of native bush across the community to improve, restore and protect our environment and waterways.
We are also delighted to be continuing support for the Auckland Writers Festival Schools Programme and Family Day in 2023. Special guests this year include Jason Reynolds, Johanna Emeney, Sarah Laing and Jason Gunn