Heads Up For Kids

Lions Clubs New Zealand Heads Up for Kids project provides a helping hand for young people to engage in an experience or activity that will enable them to live their dream, establish life goals and reach their full potential within their chosen field.

Donate old New Zealand & foreign currency and support Kiwi kids

Copper trails, brass razoos and gold sovereigns are all part of the Lions Clubs of New Zealand’s unusual campaign Heads Up for Kids.

Launched in July 2010, Heads Up for Kids is a unique collection which asks New Zealanders to dig out and donate old decimal and pre-decimal New Zealand currency, and all foreign money.  The obsolete cash is then redeemed for New Zealand dollars and used to fund education programmes for young New Zealanders who would otherwise not get the opportunity.

HU4K Coin Sorting Instructions

Because the obsolete currency is no longer legal tender, and foreign coins cannot be exchanged in this country, the project is not in competition with other fundraising dollars.

Many young people have already benefited from Heads Up for Kids, receiving scholarships to organisations such as Spirit of Adventure and  Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centres.

To date Lions have collected over 28.8 tonnes of coins and thousands of banknotes ( that's the equivalent weight of 4 elephants, 460 cattle or 6450 cats! ) bringing the total raised close to $612,000. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand estimates that there is $80 million in old decimal and pre-decimal NZ coins and $20 million in old banknotes unaccounted for.

There are plenty more coins still out there and Lions Clubs of New Zealand are hoping to collect $1 million.

DROP OFF POINT FOR COINS.

If you have any old coins or foreign currency that you would like to donate, please take them to your nearest:

• Resene Colorshop - visit the Resene Colorshop locator
• Flight Centre

• Clubs should check Resene and other places where HU4K cans have been left. Resene is just a drop off point for the public.

• Clubs must sort these coins and send to the Counting Den by Aramex, which is our sponsor courier

• Download this Address Label to Courier

If you have coins or old currency to donate call 0800 Old Money to have a Lion collect it from you. 

Funding and Applications

Lions Clubs New Zealand and our Heads Up for Kids project work to provide a helping hand to young people. We aim to assist New Zealand youth to perform at their best academic ability, to develop leadership skills, to establish life goals and to reach their full potential. 

Funding assistance is only available for activities undertaken within New Zealand and does not cover travel or accomodation costs.

All applications require support from a New Zealand Lions Club. If you do not know your local Lions, please use our online directory to find the closest Lions Clubs to you. Find a Club

The Trustees meet to consider applications four times a year on the 3rd Wednesday of the month in February, May, August and November, applications due by 2nd Wednesday of that month.

Lions Clubs will forward your application to hu4k(at)lionsclubs.org.nz

Individual Grant Application Form

Group Grant Application Form

Club Grant Application Form

Grants Register

Heads up for Kids Register upto 18 Sept 2024