Charities getting creative to haul in donations for street appeals

Willy Van-Bavel and Ross Gemmell were at Tauranga Pak'nSave yesterday collecting for Daffodil Day. Photo / Andrew Warner

Eftpos donations and payWave transactions are helping boost street appeals for Not for Profit organisations as fewer people carry cash.

Waikato/Bay of Plenty Cancer Society fundraising manager Catriona Findlay said it needed to be strategic.

''We are continually adapting to make sure we're relevant, accessible and able to raise the money we need to provide our services in the community.''

The society had observed people carrying less cash in recent years, she said.

''But conversely, we've seen an increase in people supporting the Cancer Society and Daffodil Day in other ways. For example, we now have a lot of people who want to support us by holding their fundraisers such as head shaves or sporting events, and raising money via online platforms like Everyday Hero.''

It had Eftpos machines at some Daffodil Day collection sites while there was an increasing number of people donating online at daffodilday.org.nz

More than $81,857 was raised in Tauranga during the 2017 Daffodil Day campaign, and yesterday more than 600 volunteers helped out in the Bay for this year's event.

Willy Van-Bavel was stationed inside the Tauranga Pak'n Save store and had been a volunteer for Daffodil Day for 20 years.

She started volunteering after watching her partner Jack die in hospital after losing his battle with cancer.

The 83-year-old said she was committed to the cause because the disease was shocking.

''He was such a live wire, so I decided to volunteer there and then.''

Her fellow volunteer Ross Gemmell lost his wife Sue to cancer and put his hand up this year.

''There are so many people getting cancer ... and the Cancer Society provides fantastic support to those affected - alongside all research it carries out.''

An ANZ spokeswoman said it offered a variety of ways for New Zealanders to donate to the Cancer Society.

They could text 'hope' to 336 for an instant $3 donation and in 2017 ANZ introduced Tap and Donate Daffodils which uses Visa payWave technology.

''We've found customers like having choices when they donate, especially if they want to give money but aren't carrying cash. We are seeing year-on-year increases in donations through our cashless channels. ''

RSA Marketing and Communications manager Shane Wratt said it also had online, payroll giving and text donation options.

But the vast majority of money collected for Anzac Day Poppy appeal was done on the street by volunteers from the RSA.

''Some people are generous and will either be prepared with cash on the day or even go and get money out and come back to collectors.''

About $38,000 was collected in Tauranga for Poppy Day which was five per cent up on the year before, he said.

Those donations enabled the RSA to make an everyday difference to people who needed help, he said.