Rotary's J R McKenzie Youth Education Fund

Information re the J R Mc Kenzie Youth Education Fund.
 
I get asked lots of questions re the J R Mc Kenzie Trust and The J R McKenzie Youth Education Fund (YEF).
 
They are two separate entities. Perhaps this explanation may help..
There once was a chain of department stores throughout NZ, owned by the J R McKenzie Family.  When these shops were sold the money from the sale, was invested and some of the annual interest earnings donated to New Zealand Rotary to administer as the J R McKenzie Youth Education Fund. (YEF) In addition, annual payments are granted to the Youth Education Fund to administer, through Rotary, the selection and support of applicants to Outward Bound. In District 9930 we have two District Chairs. Russ Young for the Youth Education Fund and Tracey Murphey for the Outward Bound Fund.
 
Applications for the YEF are received throughout the year as funds allow.
 
Outward Bound applicants for the Mind Body & Soul course are selected in April and applicants for the Classic Course are received throughout the year. Applicants for the Classic courses need to contact Tracey. (Contact details below)
 
The 9930 Committee for YEF is Russ Young (Fairfield), Alf Johnson (Hamilton East), Darren Anderson (Hamilton) and Bill Gibson (Fairfield).
 
The 9930 Committee for Outward Bound is Tracey Muphey (Fairfield) Alf Johnson (Hamilton East), Darren Anderson (Hamilton) Russ Young (Fairfield)
 
J R McKenzie YEF in District 9930
Applicants must apply to a Rotary Club in District 9930 for assistance from the fund. Each Rotary Club is advised to have a Club representative or Youth Committee, who receives such applications, assess’ their authenticity and the amount of claim and sends a copy of the application form for each applicant and a club summary form (attached) with a summary of the claimants to P O Box 12 151 Chartwell Hamilton 3210.
 
Support from the YEF may be paid for Glasses, Uniforms, shoes, school books, epi-pens and other necessities needed, for a child to safely access education. (See attached Flyer)
 
The committee has prepared a 12 point set of guidelines which clubs may find helpful in knowing how we operate. They are enclosed below.
 
  1. All applications must be made to a Rotary club or recognized NGO, on the appropriate Application Form. (Copy attached)
  2. The club must make contact with the applicant and check the authenticity of the claim. With an NGO application, the NGO must write a covering letter to the supporting Rotary Club. School claims must be made through a Rotary Club.
  3. We do not pay for School Fees. 
  4. Camp fees may be paid provided there is evidence that the parents have made some part of the payment.
  5. When the club has agreed the application(s) should be forwarded to the Committee for refund, it needs to complete a ‘Club Form,’ (attached)
  6. The club form should indicate the number of school-aged siblings in the applicant’s family, the purpose of the claim, any money the club is prepared to give to supplement the claim and clear information requested at the top of the form re-contacts.
  7. The club form or a copy must be posted to P O Box 12-151 Chartwell Hamilton 3210, and NOT emailed to the Chairman. (emails tend to get lost in the Chairman’s private and business emails and put him to extra printing costs. Unfortunately, some scanned documents are of poor quality and not easy to read.)
  8. If the Fund is solvent, clubs should expect a turnaround time of 2 weeks.
  9. Our normal payment is up to $150.00 per claimant but can be increased if there are other school-age children in the family.
  10. It is usual to place a bracketed number eg (3) after the applicant’s name indicating how the amount of claim is arrived at, eg 3X$150.00 and relates to school-age children in the claimant’s family. This appears on the payment letter, with one cheque, to the club.
  11. We really appreciate the many clubs who partially fund applications.  
  12. We have a flyer, (attached) which can be helpful to clubs making claims.
 
Please click here to obtain:
This fund is managed entirely by Rotarians.

 Applications can be made at any time. For more information and application forms, visit the Fund’s website: www.youtheducationfund.org.nz

Youth Education Fund contact
 
Chairperson
Russell Young
(Fairfield)
 
Committee
Darren Anderson (Hamilton)
Bill Gibson (Fairfield)
Alf Johnson (Hamilton East)
Tracey Murphy (Fairfield)