KidsCanBall was created by our ambassador Jordan Watson – How to DAD, who wanted a fun way to raise money for kids in need.
Last year he challenged his mates Jono and Ben from The Hits to play handball against him for 24 hours straight. It was a brutal test of body and mind, but they made it to the final whistle, raising an incredible $475,000 for KidsCan.
This year they’re crazy enough to try again – and they’re going bigger! From 8am on October 30th to 8am on the 31st, Jordan, Jono, Ben, Megan and a host of celebrity guests will take to the court to keep that handball bouncing for 24 hours. Expect trick shots, takedowns, and riotous banter in an epic battle - where kids are the ultimate winners.
Every donation spurs them on - your generosity will help them dig deep in the wee hours when their eyelids are closing and their muscles ache. Help them raise $1 million for kids in poverty.
Meet the team!
They’d love you to join the challenge. You don’t have to play handball for 24 hours (that’s crazy!) – just play as many minutes as you can across October, and get your friends and family to sponsor you.
How to DAD (Jordan)
"So many kids are doing it tough, heading off to school without food, as a father, imagining those were your kids, it almost brings you to tears. To have the chance to make real change with KidsCanBall, it means everything. Being able to change just one kid’s life means everything. With NZ’s help KidsCanBall can potentially help thousands of kids in need, that feeling is beyond words."
Jono
"I’d love to say I’ve been training for the past 12 months... but I haven’t. In fact, I feel less prepared than ever. But we recently visited a school and saw first-hand where your donations go - warm jackets for kids who really need them, nutritious food, shoes and socks, and essential health and hygiene items. It’s worth every minute (and every sore muscle)."
Ben
“As a parent, it breaks my heart to think of kids in New Zealand going hungry at school or without something like a warm jacket over winter. So playing handball for 24 hours and raising nearly half a million dollars to help Kiwi kids was honestly one of the most rewarding things we’ve ever been part of. Hopefully it makes up for all the questionable comedy we’ve done over the years! I haven’t touched a handball since… but when the chance came up to rally the country and help even more kids, we knew we had to come out of handball retirement."
Megan
"I'm so proud to be joining the Handball team this year, I don't know if I will be bringing much to the team competitively, but I do know how much this is needed in NZ. We were lucky enough to give out jackets to some children from last year's donations, and it was so special. You don't often get to see where the donations go, or the result of the hard work, and I can say KidsCan make a huge difference. Hopefully we can go bigger and better this year!"
Ready to join them?
Watch the action from 2024.
"We’re doing it for the kids - that’ll keep us going”
– KidsCanBall founder Jordan Watson
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