Bald Angels Charitable Trust founder Therese Wickbom is calling on the community to come together to help families struggling with food insecurity. Photo / Jenny Ling
Bald Angels Charitable Trust founder Therese Wickbom is calling on the community to come together to help families struggling with food insecurity. Photo / Jenny Ling
A Northland charity is calling on the community to help vulnerable whānau after the closure of a Kerikeri foodbank and budgeting service.
Bald Angels Charitable Trust founder Therese Wickbom said a lack of food security has become a major issue since the Kerikeri-based Kairos Foodbank closed several months ago.
The foodbank closure has been exacerbated by the demise of a vital budgeting service in the area, which also happened earlier this year, she said.
The Bald Angels partners, including Women’s Refuge, local iwi and social service providers who deliver support to families in need, are already working at capacity, Wickbom said.
“Everyone is finding this a major issue; kai and lack of transport are two major issues.
“We need to come up with a community solution ... we’re asking who needs to be at the table to provide a sustainable solution like a social supermarket or another foodbank.”
Kairos Connection Trust Board announced it was closing the foodbank in June because organisers were unable to find anyone to take over the voluntary role of foodbank administrator.
A new social supermarket run by Ngāpuhi Iwi Social Services and Foodstuffs North Island opened in Kaikohe in May.
The supermarket, called Whata Kai, provides whānau experiencing food insecurity with access to affordable kai and fresh produce.
Wickbom says social supermarket Whata Kai, which opened in Kaikohe, is too far away for those who live in the Bay of Islands. Photo / NZME
However, Wickbom said many people have trouble paying for fuel for the 60km round trip.
A new report from the Salvation Army reveals more than one in four households with children are regularly missing out on the food they need.
Meanwhile, New Zealand exports enough to feed 40 million people overseas, the charitable organisation says.
The Salvation Army’s report “Ending Food Insecurity – What Needs to Be Done Now" calls for urgent action to ensure every New Zealander has access to sufficient nutritious food.
“Low incomes and a food system focused on exports are causing ill health and hunger,” report co-author and Salvation Army food security manager Sonya Cameron said.
“We must put our health and our children’s wellbeing ahead of profit.”
Cameron said the strength of local, community-led responses showed “what’s possible”, but those efforts needed support.
Central and local government must work with communities “to get the basics of food security right”, she said.
The report includes a range of solutions to address food insecurity such as:
Supporting national food rescue and foodbank networks.
Continued government funding for community initiatives.
Transforming the grocery commissioner into a food commissioner.
Ensuring every household has a liveable income through fair wages or adequate income support.
Jenny Ling is a senior journalist at the Northern Advocate. She has a special interest in covering human interest stories, along with finance, roading, and social issues.
