Goodbye to cheques

By the middle of this year all major New Zealand banks will have phased out cheques, so we at Presbyterian Support Otago are keen to let our wonderful donors know how they can continue to support our work, and why that support is so important.

Charity sector group Fundraising Institute of New Zealand (FINZ) says many people who donate to charities traditionally donate by cheque.

They also estimate that some charities receive up to 90 per cent of their income by cheque and say that annually, in the worst-case scenario, NZ charities could lose as much $1.4 billion when cheques are no longer available. As you can imagine, the loss of this funding would have a devastating impact on the communities and causes that charities support.

At Presbyterian Support Otago, your donations help fund many of our key local programmes – such as our Foodbank, Buddy Programme and positive parenting courses. We receive hundreds of donations by cheque each year, which represents a very significant proportion of our overall donations.

What are some other ways to donate?

Phone banking via your bank’s services
Call us on 03 470 0834 and we can process your credit or debit card donation over the phone
Pop into to Shop on Carroll in Dunedin and make a donation with your EFTPOS card
Visit our website and use your credit card or debit card to make a donation www.psotago.org.nz/donate
Go to your own online bank account and create a bank-to-bank payment, from your account to PSO’s account. This can be a one-off payment or a regular payment. See the donation form opposite for our bank details

If you have any questions at all about donating to us, please don’t hesitate to phone Jude McCracken, Communications, Fundraising and Marketing Manager, who is based in Dunedin, on 03 470 0834.

We know that many people are comfortable and familiar with cheques and that it will be unsettling trying to set up new ways of paying bills, making payments and donations.

Banks are getting in touch with customers who use cheques to let them know what’s happening, and to let them know about phone and internet banking options. We encourage you to get in touch with your bank if you haven’t yet heard from them about these options.