Community Trust of Southland - Te Pou Arataki Pounamu o Murihiku

The Community Trust of Southland is a community owned trust that supports charitable and non-profit organisations by delivering investment returns as grants for projects and initiatives which benefit the Southland community.  By doing this, the Community Trust of Southland plays a significant role in achieving the region's shared vision of a creative, thriving, vibrant, healthy, safe, prosperous and sustainable community.

The Community Trust of Southland began its relationship with Special Olympics New Zealand in 1997. Since then, it has made a number of grants towards individual projects, including the purchasing of training equipment and jackets and the upgrading of the Special Olympics New Zealand database system. It also helps to cover the operating costs of Special Olympics Southland. In 2010, the Community Trust of Southland generously agreed to partially cover the lease of a vehicle for use by Jan Aitken, the Regional Sports Coordinator for the Southland district.

"Special Olympics Southland is very appreciative of our support," says Robyn Koehler, Community Trust of Southland's Research Manager. "But in turn, we are really appreciative of what Special Olympics does for our community."