J R McKenzie Youth Education Fund
The J R McKenzie Youth Education Fund was established in 1938, by Sir John McKenzie, a member of the Wellington Rotary Club, and owner of the McKenzies department stores. The Youth Education Fund (YEF) is funded by an annual grant from the JR McKenzie Trust and is administered by each Rotary District separately. The purpose of the fund is to remove or mitigate barriers to learning, and this overarching purpose guides all decisions made on behalf of the Fund.
J R McKenzie Youth Education Fund in District 9930
For practical purposes, the D9930 Committee now processes applications from three geographical “Hubs”. Bay of Plenty, East Coast (Hawkes Bay and Poverty Bay), and Waikato/other: Financial support from the Fund may be claimed for glasses, uniforms, shoes, some therapy, school books, epi-pens, and other necessities needed for a child in a needy family to safely access education. (See Flyer below).
The applicant can be a school, NZ Police, a community welfare organisation, and the like.
1. Applicants must apply to a Rotary club in District 9930 for assistance on behalf of a claimant (the family) using the standard Application Form.
2. Each Rotary club is advised to have a Club member who is aware of the system and who will deal with the applicant on a one-to-one basis.
3. They receive the applications, assess their authenticity and the amounts being claimed.
4. When approved by the Club they scan the application together with a supporting letter from the applicant or other appropriate person or organisation, copies of invoices or quotes, and finally a Club Claim Form (attached).
5. These are then emailed to the local Hub Administrator depending upon which part of D9930 the Club is situated as per the above list.
6. The Hub Administrator will review and arrange for payment or request more information from the Club.
7. We only pay the Applicant or the Rotary Club, never the family or supplier.
8. We do not do “Bulk Billing” as we must see the documentation for individuals in line with the wording of the J R McKenzie Trust D9930 Youth Education Fund policy.
The committee has guidelines that clubs may find helpful in knowing how we operate.
These are as follows: Important notes:
1. The Club Claim Form should indicate the number of school-aged siblings in the claimant’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 regarding contacts.
2. If the Fund has funds available, clubs should expect a turnaround time of approximately 2 weeks.
3. Our normal payment is up to $300.00 per claimant but this amount can be increased if there are other school-age children in the family. or circumstances justify an increased payment.
4. Typically a single payment will be made to cover all the claims on the Club Claim Form. This is accompanied by a summary of what the payment covers. Where multiple payments are required, a separate Club Claim Form should be prepared for each payee.
5. If funds are limited, preference is given to applications where the sponsoring Rotary club has indicated it will contribute financially.
6. We do not pay for School Fees.
7. Camp fees may be paid provided there is evidence that the parents have made some part of the payment.
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