Focus: Demand grows as more Kiwis turn to foodbanks amid cost-of-living crisis

Kiwis in need of food support have hit “concerning” levels as foodbanks across the country struggle to keep up with demand.

New findings from the New Zealand Food Network (NZFN) has revealed a 42 per cent increase in demand for food support this year.

The need is up a whopping 83 per cent when compared to 2021.

“The problem is real,” South Auckland Christian Food Bank CEO Ian Foster told NZ Herald Focus. “There are people genuinely struggling. I’m pretty concerned.”

Foster has a team of around 30 volunteers who pack and distribute around 140 food parcels every day.

“Pre-Covid, we were doing 100-125 [boxes] a week... and we thought we were really busy then. Now it’s even higher,” Foster said.

The South Auckland Christian Food Bank is packing around 140 food parcels a day. Photo / Alyse Wright

The NZFN found a third of those now relying on foodbanks have never previously needed food support.

CEO Gavin Findlay said it includes double-income families.

“It’s people who have never reached out before and they’ve exhausted their own resources,” Findlay said.

“More people who would normally help themselves week-to-week suddenly go ‘I’ve got a few hours less’ or an unexpected bill comes in. What do they do? They drop the food and go to a foodbank for support.”

The growing need has inspired the “Pitch In” campaign, which is calling on Kiwis to help virtually fill Eden Park with meals by World Food Day.

They’ve even teamed up with ambassadors such as former All Black Piri Weepu, who said it’s a cause close to his heart.

“It was a no-brainer for me to jump on board and help out,” Weepu said.

“I’ve had some family members that have struggled and we’ve helped them out so I thought, yeah, I’d be pretty keen to jump on board and help out - obviously on a bigger scale.”

Parcels aren’t restricted to just supplying food now either, as hubs call on other essentials like hygiene products and pet food.

A new partnership with charity The Period Place will also ensure menstrual products are available for those in need.

“Period products are often one of the first things to go off a shopping list,” The Period Place CEO Danika Revell said. “If somebody has to choose between food or period products, they’re going to choose food.

“One of our partners, Modibodi, has donated $60,000 worth of period underwear... they’ll be sent out to hubs across the North Island,” Revell said.