Te Puke's pataka kai a chance to give as well as take

Wiremu Williams painting the pataka kai in Jellicoe St, outside Poutiri Wellness Centre.

In the few weeks that it has been outside Poutiri Wellness Centre, a pataka kai has seen plenty of use.

The pataka kai - a community larder where people can give and take primarily, but not exclusively, food - is part of a wider initiative that seeks to build security into the availability of food.

Last year Poutiri Trust completed a report aimed at matching food and need across the whole of the Western Bay of Plenty, The Food Sovereignty and Food Security Plan, Mana Kai Mana Ora.

"[The pataka kai] is a continuation of the implementation of Mana Kai, Mana Ora," says Poutiri Trust general manager Kirsty Maxwell-Crawford.

She says the Jellicoe St pataka kai is a prototype under a joint initiative of the trust, The Hub Te Puke and the collaborative group COLAB. More are envisaged across the town.

"It's really about making sure in Te Puke CBD there is an opportunity for people to take what they need, but also a great opportunity for people to give what they can," she says.

Excess produce from home gardens, unused meals from the free school meals programme run by The Daily Charitable Trust, bread from The Hub and produce from Poutiri Trust's mara kai initiative, helping the community to grow its own food, have been left as well as other donations of food.

"It's just about, as a community, being able to care for each other, recognising that food is quite expensive at the moment and it's not always as affordable for everyone."

It is also a chance to ensure food, especially home grown produce, doesn't go to waste.

"People might not want to preserve the whole lot or stew the whole lot, or they may not have the energy to do that, so they can leave it here."

There is clear evidence the pataka kai is being well used.

"We find as the business day finishes, probably about three-quarters of what's been left there during the day has gone and then over night the rest of it goes, and we're really pleased by that."

One of the goals of the trust is to de-stigmatise gathering food from the pantry.

"This is not an initiative that is only focused on needy families - this is an initiative for everyone in the community so anyone can come by and grab some fruit.

"We want people to be really comfortable to stand in front of it and take what's there and take what they need rather than labelling it and saying if you are going to take something you must be in need or you must be vulnerable or you must be this or you must be that - we really just want to neutralise it and make it accessible for everyone."

It hasn't just been food that has been left. Clothes, shoes and toys have been available too.

"We've had good quality toys that have been left and if that helps another family that has little ones and that's helpful for them then that's fantastic."