The Mitre 10 New Zealand Community of the Year Award - Ngā Pou Whirinaki o te Tau

Mitre 10 has proudly partnered with the Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Awards for over a decade, sponsoring the ‘New Zealand Community of the Year’ category. The annual award recognises a group of people that together have made an outstanding difference to their community that year, a group who foster a strong sense of Kotahitanga – community spirit and whose achievements enhance the social, economic, cultural or environmental prosperity of their region.

With our stores being locally owned and connected to their communities, this category is close to our hearts and gives us the opportunity to learn about and honour those doing incredible mahi to make an impact to those around them, reinforcing the power of true community spirit.

2026 Winner

The Safeguarding Children Initiative

Founded in 2011 by three nurses and a detective working in child protection, Safeguarding Children is a registered charity with a mission to deliver child protection training across our communities. The founders identified that a lack of training and resources was a significant barrier to keeping vulnerable children safe from harm. With the backing of a dedicated Board and funding secured, the Safeguarding Children Initiative quickly built up steam and in a few short years they had expanded across Aotearoa.

By 2026, the charity had trained more 85,000 advocates, including 16,000 in the last year alone, and guided over 70 organisations across the health, education, sport, justice, faith and community sectors through incorporating safeguarding into their culture. Through practical, comprehensive training approaches, policy advocacy and community collaboration, they’ve built a nationwide network doing the mahi to ensure tamariki and rangatahi are safe in their homes, schools and wider communities.

It takes a huge amount of work, dedication and patience to grow an initiative like this. Taking the Safeguarding Children Initiative from a group of concerned individuals to an expansive national movement is a testament not just to the nobility of the cause, but to the commitment of those involved.

2026 Finalists

Rei Kōtuku Charitable Trust - Children's Palliative Care Service

Specialising in paediatric palliative care, Rei Kōtuku Charitable Trust is a lifeline for families on one of the hardest journeys imaginable. Providing free care to babies, children and teens, the organisation works closely with families from the initial diagnosis, helping them make sense of things and plan for what lies ahead. They provide assistance that aids children and their families in making the most of the time they have left, and give compassionate guidance through to the end, so the child’s passing is dignified and comfortable. Support continues afterwards as families navigate the grieving process and begin to move forward.

The trust has recently pushed into rural areas and more remote regions, meeting families where they are so that more people can access their services. Relying solely on donations to fund their work, Rei Kōtuku Charitable Trust is also dedicated to advocacy for a publicly funded national model so that every family in Aotearoa can receive professional palliative care when it’s needed.

Hōhepa Hawke's Bay

Since 1956, Hōhepa Hawke's Bay has offered wrap-around, life-long support for intellectually disabled children and adults. With a focus on people, community, and fully personalised support, Hōhepa has changed the way we think about disability care. By

building a support program around relationships and community, Hōhepa’s motto, “every life fully lived” is brought to life for people of all ages, empowering them to thrive, no matter their abilities or what stage of life they’re at.
Hōhepa Hawke's Bay helps people access housing, education, and employment, as well as encouraging meaningful experiences, recreation and community building. Their operations include two organic farms, a cheese factory, market gardens, a native plant nursery, woodworking and candlemaking studios, and much more. This fantastic organisation has built an incredible community where everyone can live independently with both dignity and a sense of purpose.