Established in 2015, The Runway Foundation offers vital support and opportunities to individuals and families in need.

We empower local youth to realise their potential, support those with ADHD, and aid people in crisis with emergency funds and essentials.


“Our heart and passion is to provide a runway for anyone that needs it, to see them run, and fly in their dreams!”

- Terese Marr, Founder

The Runway Foundation - Teressa Marr
Kids playing tug of war

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Our history

Where we’ve come from

Runway began - to aid youth and support marginalised communities

In funding partnership with Advanced Security Group, The Runway Foundation was established to provide support for youth development & the marginalised in our communities.

  • The Runway Board was established with other passionate local community members joining the oversight team
  • The Runway Board got to work with providing funding support for community support initiatives & those facing challenging circumstances.
  • The great need for ADHD support in the community was recognised.

ADDventurers was born - providing pioneering services and ADHD support in the Franklin region

  • Runway shifted into their new home at 58 Glasgow Road, Pukekohe, becoming the much loved ‘Runway House’
  • Runway’s ‘ADDventurers’ initiative was born for ADHD support & Kate Rook, Runway’s first ADDventurers Manager was hired to begin pioneering services for the Franklin Region.
  • Lorelei Turney, from Unforced Rhythms Counselling, joined Runway House to provide Counselling services & support our ADDventurers students & families.

    Progressive programs rolled out for vulnerable individuals, youth and those in the ADHD community and beyond

    • ADDventures Kids Clubs & Parent Support groups began providing support for primary aged children with ADHD & their parents. Public events for parenting & ADHD education were also provided.
    • Runway continued to provide general youth support & support for the vulnerable through subsidising counselling, student scholarships & sponsorship, and funding support for causes such as special education resources in schools, food banks and crisis support.

    Critical mentoring support for individuals, families and schools was debuted

    • Runway recognised the need for a dedicated Youth Coach supporting teenagers with ADHD.
    • The ADDventurers Youth Programme was pioneered, with Roger Tupu Tuia as ADDventurers first Youth Coach, working with schools & families in the Franklin region to provide mentoring support for students with ADHD.

    Innovative workshops developed to better teach and support students with ADHD

    ADDventurers began to offer workshops on ‘How to Teach Students with ADHD’

    Amid Covid, Runway enhanced and increased their capacity to offer ADHD support

    In the midst of Covid - Runway recognised the unmet need for further ADHD support in the Franklin region and ultimately New Zealand, and continued developing, strengthening & refining their unique, pioneered approach to ADHD support including:

    • Increasing the capacity for small-group Kids Clubs, to cater for more children.
    • Increasing the number of ADHD Youth Coaches to cater for more youth, including teenage girls with ADHD.
    • Developing their very own ADHD curriculum & programme that flows from Primary to secondary students.
    • Working closely with other organisations such as schools, and the Police for increased positive intervention for our at-risk students.
    • Supporting our Youth into tertiary, employment & independence.

    Seeing our years of mahi take flight with successes for our youth, and presenting our replicable model of ADHD support for others in NZ

    Seeing the fruit of the ADDventurers programmes, with our statistically at-risk students supported into Tertiary training, employment & independence, Runway is now presenting a highly successful model of ADHD support that can be replicated in other parts of New Zealand.

    About The Runway Foundation - Colourful Hats
    Our Mission Statement

    Working with communities to provide support and opportunities for those facing challenging circumstances, creating pathways for their success.

    Our values

    Our values are at the heart of everything we do. They guide us to make the best decisions every day, and help us define our strategy, make decisions, and ensure everyone feels a sense of belonging and value at The Runway Foundation.

    Gratitude

    Faithfulness

    Compassion

    Joy

    Excellence

    Equality

    Dignity

    Team

    About The Runway Foundation - Volunteers

    Our People

    Our people are our priority, and we have built a fantastic team of passionate individuals. They are the people that make all of our work and support possible.

    Generating change

    Thanks to the generosity and compassion of local businesses and individuals, The Runway Foundation has been offering support to students and families in our community since 2015.

    We’ve helped:

    300 +

    Students & families in the ADHD community


    1000 +

    Students and families through partnering with other community initiatives  such as counselling, foodbanks, crisis support, school camp sponsorships, equine therapy for youth, student scholarships, and camps for special need support

    About The Runway Foundation - Team getting ready for the day
    About The Runway Foundation - having a picnic

    Support us

    As a registered charity based in the Franklin District of Tamaki Makaurau, Auckland, we rely heavily on the generous donations from our corporate support partners and local families who share our vision.

    News & Events

    15/09/2024

    image of Embracing Māori Culture: A Unique Team-Building Experience

    Embracing Māori Culture: A Unique Team-Building Experience

    At Runway, we value opportunities to grow our understanding of Te Ao Māori and Reo. Our team recently enjoyed a memorable visit to the Auckland Museum’s Māori Cultural Experience as part of a team-building activity.

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    05/06/2024

    image of Youth Garden to Fundraise April 2024

    Youth Garden to Fundraise April 2024

    During the term 1 school holidays, ADDventurers Youth spent some time weeding and tidying gardens to raise funds...

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    05/06/2024

    image of A Summer Fiesta to Remember: Runway Friends and Family Community Picnic

    A Summer Fiesta to Remember: Runway Friends and Family Community Picnic

    On March 8, 2024, the grounds of Pukekohe Hill School transformed into a vibrant hub of joy and laughter...

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    05/06/2024

    image of ADDventurers Team Joins Pukekohe Whanau Day: A Celebration of Community and Support

    ADDventurers Team Joins Pukekohe Whanau Day: A Celebration of Community and Support

    The ADDventurers Team had the pleasure of participating in the vibrant and heartwarming Pukekohe Whanau Day...

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    31/05/2024

    image of A Night with ADHD NZ

    A Night with ADHD NZ

    Recently, ADHD New Zealand hosted informative events in Auckland and Wellington, partnering with the Australian ADHD Professional Association (aadpa) to learn about their new clinical guidelines for ADHD.

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    28/05/2024

    image of Thriving with ADHD 2023!

    Thriving with ADHD 2023!

    What a great time we had at this years Thriving With ADHD event in October!

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    28/05/2024

    image of What is it like to have an ADHD Brain?

    What is it like to have an ADHD Brain?

    Enjoy these thoughts from a few of the students from The Runway Foundation's, ADDventurers Programme

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    28/05/2024

    image of Friends of Runway Summer Picnic 2023

    Friends of Runway Summer Picnic 2023

    We had a fantastically fun time at our annual Runway picnic on Friday the 3rd March.

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