Make a donation

Give the gift of hope.

Our mission is to empower New Zealanders with neurological conditions to experience connection, positive change, and hope through outdoor adventure. As a charitable trust, we rely on donations to do our work. With your support, we can continue helping people find hope again.

How we use your donations

Rehabilitation is expensive, and we invest substantially but prudently in quality people. On average, it costs approximately $6,800 to support one person for one year, enabling them to achieve their dream adventure and find hope. Read about our outcomes.

This cost includes:

  • $3,100 of mentoring: 16 hours of one-on-one mentoring and support, in addition to 10 hours of group support and learning.

  • $2,150 of rehabilitation: access to a gym and 10-12 appointments with a specialist physio.

  • $1,550 of additional support: specialist gear and equipment, including some expedition costs, such as food and group safety equipment.

$150-$170 for a single specialist physio appointment.

$120 for a single mentoring session.

3% Cover the Fee

Donations over $5 are tax deductible for New Zealand tax residents.

If you are interested in setting up a recurring donation or sponsoring an individual, we would love to hear from you. Please contact us.

Black and white emblem with a laurel wreath, the number 10 at the top, and the text "Celebrating 10 Years" in the center, with "Since 2015" at the bottom.

To celebrate our tenth birthday, we’ve set the goal of raising $13,600. This will enable us to support two people in 2026 as they work toward achieving their dream adventure and develop a stronger sense of hope.

Read our outcomes to see what these funds achieve and how we divide our budget.

$8,070

Donations so far, with the help of 70 generous donors.

Goal: $13,600

Our impact

  • Bryce Mackenzie

    "This programme opened my mind. With a bit of help, I have achieved something that I thought I may not be able to do."

    Bryce Mackenzie

  • "You made my dream a reality. I cannot recommend the experience enough—every sight, smell, sound, taste, and feeling was incredible."

    Sam Smith

  • Katy Glenie

    "I had thought that my life could no longer be full of adventures in the outdoors after my diagnosis. I now know there are so many ways to seek and find adventure."

    Katy Glenie

  • David Kyle

    "This has been trajectory altering, enabling me to continue MTB riding with friends and giving me more confidence about the future in terms of riding with my son."

    David Kyle

  • Kirsten Dixon

    "With the right support I can achieve more than I thought! I have shed some self limiting beliefs I imposed on myself with diagnosis."

    Kirsten Dixon

  • "Empowering & life-changing. I can barely hold the tears as I reflect on how deeply I have been cared for and supported in my disability and pathway back to the outdoors journey."

    Raffaela Dragani

  • "Mastering Mountains helped me accept & open up about my diagnosis, showing me that setbacks aren't the end but part of the journey - and that I can still embrace adventure in my own way."

    Steph Nierstenhoefer

  • "Mastering Mountains has changed my life – I now have goals and aspirations that I never imagined were possible."

    Jodie Leqeta

Support our fundraisers

A woman standing on a rocky mountain trail holding a white flag with the words 'Mastering Mountains' and a logo, surrounded by green bushes and rocks, wearing hiking gear and a backpack.
Man in orange jacket and sunglasses smiling on mountain summit with hiking gear, rocky terrain, and scenic landscape with mountains and clouds in the background.
A man with a race bib stands outdoors in a vineyard with yellowing grapevines, smiling at the camera on a sunny day.

Steph Nierstenhoefer

Walking 100 kms in June

Nick Allen

Climbing 52 peaks in one year

Sam Dawson

Running 100 kms in May

A woman wearing a white helmet and purple jacket rock climbing on a steep outdoor rock face, smiling at the camera.
A smiling woman with glasses and a bun stands outdoors holding a banner that reads "Mastering Mountains" in front of a mountain landscape with a lake, trees, and blue sky.

Michelle Heslop

Climbing a 3,000m peak

Raffaela Dragani

Tramping to Blue Lake Hut

“Nāu te rourou, nāku te rourou, ka ora ai te iwi”

”With your food basket, and my food basket, the people will thrive”
— Māori whakataukī