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Our Story – Our Beginnings
Kin Carers Connect Charitable Trust was born from lived experience, resilience, and a deep commitment to families who quietly step up when children need them most.
The Trust was first registered on 24 June 2022 under the name Help Myself Charitable Trust, founded by Helen Hewitt alongside her children, Joel Lee and Jane. Its original purpose was to support people navigating mental health challenges and those acting as self-litigants in Family Court—often while caring full-time for children who were not their own.
Kin carers carry an immense burden. Many are grandparents or extended family who have lost earning capacity yet take on full parental responsibility with little formal support. Parenting and guardianship applications can cost up to $10,000, placing justice out of reach for many. With the right guidance, however, these applications can be successfully navigated at minimal cost.
This belief in empowerment through knowledge in all sorts of other family matters as well, such as understanding child behaviour and looking after ourselves, became a cornerstone of our work.
In 2022, Joel—having successfully rehabilitated from drug and alcohol use—trained in peer support. The Trust initially formed to facilitate this work. Helen, having herself navigated multiple Family and Civil Court proceedings as a self-litigant, also coordinated support groups and saw first-hand the devastating financial and emotional toll faced by kin carers. Determined to create systemic change, she embarked on a law degree, now entering her final year.
Tragically, in 2024, Joel’s life was cut short following profound injustice and heartbreak after losing contact with his child under an Oranga Tamariki custody order. His death deeply impacted the Trust and placed its work on hold while Helen grieved the loss of her son.
In mid-2025, Helen got together with others with a similar passion for supporting kin carers.
With urgency and conviction, Help Myself Charitable Trust was renamed Kin Carers Connect Charitable Trust in September 2025. Regulatory compliance was completed, governance strengthened, and the work resumed. Our long-standing groups regathered and we began receiving direct sponsorship from funders who recognised the value and integrity of our work.
Kin carers are often the unsung heroes—quietly holding families together outside the formal foster care system, receiving fewer resources yet carrying extraordinary responsibility. When we support kin carers, we support children—helping them feel included, valued, and hopeful.
This is why we exist.
This is why we continue.
We thank you for standing with us.
(from left) Anne, Patrick and Helen at the recent picnic in the Hamilton Rose Gardens December 2025