Pillars - Verna McFelin interview

TX 8 Jul 2010~We hear a lot in the news about the need for longer, tougher prison sentences, in a bid to reduce New Zealand's crime rate.




This country now has the second-highest rate of imprisonment in the world, after the United States.




And as a result, New Zealand also has the world's second-highest rate of children deprived of a parent who has been sent to jail.

These children are paying for a crime that they did not commit.




Pillars is an organization that sets out to help the estimated 23,000 New Zealand children in that situation - a situation which gets little help and sympathy from anyone else.




Pillars has been helping these children for twenty-two years.




It started in Christchurch and that's where Allan Lee met the founder and CEO, Verna McFelin. [---

Postscript~There are many ways to help Pillars, and you can find out more by checking out their website at www.pillars.org.nz




It costs about $3,000 to set up a match between a mentor and a child - so financial help is always welcome. Or maybe you might consider becoming a mentor yourself.

If you'd like to help in some way, contact Verna McFelin by emailing verna@pillars.co.nz

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Pillars
• Christchurch
• Verna McFelin
• children
• prison
• parents
• support
• community
• Nzone Focus