When the pandemic forced Kenzie's Gift to pivot to delivering their one on one therapy online, they quickly realised that expanding their resources and support kits alone would not be enough. To reach the young Kiwis who actively seek health information from social media platforms, they needed to modernise their online presence. But budget was limiting their options.
An opportunity
Fortunately, Nic Russell, Kenzie’s Gift founder and CEO had the opportunity to present at the 10x10 Philanthropy Auckland event in 2022 ‘the Dragon Den for giving, where charities sell themselves to donors.’ Nic shared her founder’s story, the mission of Kenzie’s Gift and the vision the charity had for growth. Integral to that? A new digital platform.
It was here that Nic met Marcjon Nimmo, Founder and Creative Director of Brand Strategy and Design Agency, Nim Creative.
“Listening to Nic and her passion for Kenzie’s Gift really resonated with me. My wife had recently lost her mum to cancer and everything Nic and the team at Kenzie's were doing to help people in that headspace move forward was so impactful. I knew, in that moment when Nic was on stage, I needed to help in any way that we could,” says MarcJon.
“Our aim was to deliver a site that would enable Kenzie’s Gift to have a greater social impact, expand their reach, and build a platform where people had access to a huge amount of resources and help.”
Nic says, “When MarcJon came up to me at 10x10 Philanthropy Auckland, I was so humbled and grateful for his amazing generosity in offering to build Kenzie’s Gift a new website. What NIM Creative was offering, was more than just a digital platform; it was a powerful tool that will connect us with a wider audience, raise awareness about our cause, and enable us to touch the lives of countless young Kiwis and their whanau affected by serious illness or grief. This remarkable partnership, made possible by the exceptional opportunity presented by the 10x10 Philanthropy Auckland event.”
Alaina McGregor, Head of 10x10 Aotearoa New Zealand says, “I’m thrilled that 10x10 provided an opportunity for Nic and MarcJon to connect and work together to help Kenzie’s Gift scale its important mahi. While 10x10’s live crowdfunding model provides a platform to raise funds for charities, our events also serve as a marketplace for people wanting to donate their time and skills in a powerful way for good. The amazing work that the Nim Creative team has delivered is just one of many examples where people who have attended a 10x10 Auckland event as a donor have been so inspired by the charities on stage, they’ve gone on to provide valuable non-monetary support in the way of pro-bono services or skilled volunteer hours. It’s really what the magic of 10x10 is all about.”
Bringing the website to life
The team at Kenzie's Gift, including copywriter and project manager, Sarah Idle, and graphic designer, Marianne Webb, worked closely with the digital team at Nim Creative, Rangi Christie and Marcjon, to create a new website that reflects the diversity and inclusiveness of communities Kenzie’s Gift serves, as well as highlighting the charity’s mission, values, and brand.
The language used on the website needed to not only be culturally and gender inclusive, but easy to understand and digest. As Sarah explains:
“Our website visitors are likely to be families experiencing some of the toughest times imaginable – the loss of a child or a serious illness journey. That meant we needed to ensure the information they were after was quick and easy to find. To achieve this, we combined intuitive site navigation that simplified our services, scannable pages that avoided reams of dense text, and thoughtful UX with great search functionality of our online resources.”
“We needed to undertake a full audit of existing website content and update this into bite-sized pieces of information. Our online resources alone came to around 70 pages of content, so it was a massive undertaking to get everything written, loaded and displaying correctly!”
When it came to the imagery used in the website, Kenzie’s Gift designer, Marianne Webb shares her insights on the creative process.
“We worked closely with Marcjon initially to set the broader creative tone for the Nim team to begin the site design process. It was important to reflect Kenzie’s Gift brand values and have them inherent in the website design and user experience.
A clean and intuitive layout was crucial, and the color palette and imagery were carefully chosen to evoke emotions of empathy, compassion, and hope, reflecting the nature of the organisation.
It has been an exciting process to work closely together and we’re thrilled Kenzie’s Gift has a new compelling platform to help, inspire and motivate visitors.”
The result
With its modern, user-friendly design, the new website makes it easy for visitors to learn about Kenzie's Gift's programmes and services, donate to their cause, and get involved in their community. The site also features a range of donation options that streamline the process and increase donor engagement.
MarcJon says, “Working with the team at Kenzie's to create their new website has been incredible. Everyone involved in this project wear their hearts on their sleeves and want to make a positive difference for the people of NZ. We are proud to have been on this journey with them and we look forward to what the future holds for Kenzie's Gift.”
As technology continues to evolve, it's important for non-profit organisations like Kenzie's Gift to continue to innovate and embrace new digital tools and strategies. With the support of Nim Creative and other partners, Kenzie's Gift is well-positioned to continue to grow and make a difference in the lives of those they serve.
“Together, with this new digital platform as our catalyst, we will continue to transform lives and create lasting change,” says Nic, “A huge thank you to MarcJon and the team at NIM Creative, for partnering with Kenzie's Gift and helping us build a brighter future for young Kiwis and their whānau affected by serious illness or grief. And my heartfelt appreciation also goes out to the tireless organizers of 10x10 Philanthropy Auckland. Without the opportunity to present at their 2022 event, this project would have remained a distant dream."
Check out Kenzie’s Gift new and improved website at: www.kenziesgift.com
