Born in into a middle-class family, Chapman grew up on Auckland's
North Shore and in
Henderson. In 2005, she founded the KidsCan Charitable Trust, which provides physical and nutritional support to New Zealand children living in poverty. Chapman began running the charity out of her garage, with a grant of $40,000. By 2022, the charity had grown to an annual revenue of more than $20 million. Chapman is the founder and a trustee of Pet Refuge New Zealand, a charity that provides temporary shelter for family pets affected by domestic violence at its purpose-built shelter, until they can be reunited with their owners. In 2024, KidsCan announced that it had record levels of need, with 10,000 children needing help. == Honours and awards ==