Home for the Crawford Family

CONNECTION: EHF supports enterprise in Tolaga Bay through fellow Lily Stender and the community has welcomed Fellows on several occasions. Earlier this year fifteen fellows stayed at the Tolaga Bay Inn for the weekend and were treated to a full welcome at the Marae. Connections and assistance to enterprises there has resulted in real and heartfelt benefit for the Tolaga Bay community and EHF.

INJUSTICE: On the most recent EHF visit, fellows Sasha Lockley and Janine Edge discovered how the local Crawford family had suffered a major misfortune and injustice. In 2019 their old family house (see above) was dropped by a house moving company while in the process of being re-piled. The house is now uninhabitable and irreparable. Rick Crawford has had to camp in his garage and his 84 year old mother to move to a temporary rental in Gisborne away from family and pets. For the full story see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRmzVVMl-7E 

EHF HELP: The Crawfords did not have the resources and legal backing to obtain a proper payment of damages so they can build anew. The case is too big for community legal services and too small to obtain the calibre of legal clout required. Fellow Steven Moe has solved this problem by arranging for the law firm where he is a partner, ParryField, to act for the Crawfords.  Other EHF fellows are also helping with their house building and financing expertise.

ASK: We want to help the Crawfords have a  home again, and to further build trust and relationship with the Tolaga Bay community by using fellows’ skills and connections. While Janine is providing her skills for free,  it would not be feasible for Steven to ask his firm to act without any payment. The first tranche of costs have been met by the Crawford family, but this is a stretch and our initial ask is for a matching $2,500 to further fund legal costs. Negotiations have already commenced and your support is essential to bring these to a satisfactory conclusion. Koha may also go towards re-building costs.