Destiny School applies for help from KidsCan

From Checkpoint, 5:22 pm on 29 September 2017

Destiny Church may soon be deregistered as a charity, while its private school has asked for charitable help to feed and clothe some of its students. 

Three of the church's charities - Destiny Church Auckland Trust, Destiny International Trust, and Te Hahi o Nga Matamua Holdings - will be issued a notice of intention to remove their charitable status if they do not file their required annual returns by next week.

None of the three have filed a return for 2016 or 2017, despite being given multiple extensions. 

If the charities fail to file next week and are given notices, they will have up to 20 working days to object.

Application for KidsCan help

Destiny School, a private school run by Destiny Church, has applied for help from KidsCan to feed and clothe some of its students.

KidsCan provides food, clothing, health items, and other essentials to nearly 700 schools - of decile 1 through 4 - across New Zealand every week. 

Its chief executive Julie Chapman told Checkpoint there were around 20 children at Destiny School, which had a roll of around 200, needing help. 

When Checkpoint visited Destiny School today a 2015 Mercedes-Benz SLK 200 sportscar purchased last year - by Destiny Church co-founder Hannah Tamaki for $75,000 - was parked outside.

Ms Tamaki has been criticised this year for her spending - she recently purchased another Mercedes-Benz - an AMG SUV - for more than $200,000.

Ms Chapman said it was irrelevant who owned or ran Destiny School because KidsCan would help wherever there were children in need.

"In terms of my opinion on the expensive cars and things like that, I think it's surprising.

"It doesn't sit well with me, but at the end of the day, my priority is about helping children."

Ms Chapman said the children at Destiny School needing help were primarily children with scholarships or who were sponsored to be there, so they didn't pay the private tuition, which Checkpoint understands can be up to $3000 a year per child.

Destiny Church refused to be interviewed or to provide written comment.

 

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