Mosque attacks  |  26 Nov 2019

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Millions of dollars pledged through the Our People, Our City Fund will be used to provide targeted support to the victims of the 15 March mosque shootings.

The Our People, Our City Fund was set up by The Christchurch Foundation the day after the mosque shootings at the request of Mayor Lianne Dalziel.

The fund has attracted more than $11 million in pledges and cash so far.

About $2 million from the fund has already been distributed. Of the remaining $9 million, $1.5 million will, at the request of the donors, go towards an education fund to help children who lost parents and youth who were injured in the shootings.

Another $1 million will go to the Abrahamic Fund and $400,000 to a Medical Support Fund for the severely injured.

Former Christchurch City Councillor Raf Manji has spent the past few months acting as the Foundation’s independent advisor, collecting feedback from the Muslim community - including victims of the shootings - on how the balance of the funds should be distributed.

As part of this work, Mr Manji also conducted research about best practice to support communities that have been victims of terror attacks.

Based on his recommendations, the Foundation has agreed that:

  • $70,000 will be given to each next of kin of the deceased. These payments should be made by mid-December.
  • $25,000 will be given to each bullet injured victim, with the funds to be paid as soon as possible.
  • $1.375 million will be used for a Children and Widow Support Fund.
  • $500,000 will be used to support those experiencing continuing financial hardships due to the mosque attacks.
  • $500,000 will go to a Community Support Fund that will provide short-term funding for events and initiatives which will help build community capability and cohesion, contribute to youth development, and help establish trust and collaboration between community organisations and networks.

“It is important to understand that these funds are not compensation, reparation or restitution. They are a gift that represents love and support,’’ says The Christchurch Foundation Chief Executive Amy Carter.

The foundation has worked hard to make it easy for people, businesses and countries from around the world to support those impacted by the attacks. It has received well over 18,000 individual gifts, the largest of which was more than $1.5 million.

"Many gifts were received from children from out of their pocket money or fundraising activities that they ran. Community groups from around the world, many ethnicities and religious groups have also contributed. Schools from around New Zealand also gave on mass,’’ Ms Carter says.