Meet Ronda Amende - Westfield Local Heroes 2021

A unique gift for families

TimeOut Charitable Trust
Inspiring. Brave. Dedicated

Ronda Amende gives deserving families the break they need through her organisation, TimeOut.

Ronda set up the charitable trust in 2016 to gift people with a terminal diagnosis a holiday with their family so they can create precious memories.

The idea for the non-profit came after she and her family were offered a break in a holiday house while she was undergoing cancer treatment.

Inspired by the gratitude she felt. Ronda wanted other families in need to have this experience and seeing the positive effects fdrives her to keep going.

She has inspired Kiwis to generously donate time in their holiday or beach houses, with over 130 homes now on offer to families.

One of her most rewarding moments came when a family told her the memory of the holiday with their mother would hold them together through the years to come.

She is proud that TimeOut helps families feel cared for during challenging times.

Ronda says being nominated as a Westfield Local Hero motivates her to keep going. “It is nice for TimeOut’s work to be recognised. I keep focused on the knowledge that what we do makes a difference for everyone and, while we can’t heal people, we can show love and support,” she says.

Westfield Local Heroes are nominated and voted for by their communities, with the three top finalists per Westfield centre each awarded a $10,000 grant for their affiliated organisation. TimeOut Charitable Trust will use its funds to arrange more TimeOut stays, particularly for families from the Maori and Pacific Islander community.

For further information on the Westfield Local Heroes program, click here