Whakaora Kai marks one million tonnes redistributed amid rising food insecurity

Whakaora Kai warehouse co-ordinator Steve Gray gets some food ready for distribution - just a small amount of the one million tonnes distributed since 2017. Photo / Denise Piper

A Northland organisation which stops food from going to waste has reached a milestone of redistributing one million tonnes of food.

The milestone for Whakaora Kai comes as a new Salvation Army report shows food insecurity for children is at its highest level in 10 years, with one in four Kiwi homes with children regularly missing out on the food they need.

Whakaora Kai, a division of charity Whare Āwhina, launched in 2017 as Food Rescue Northland.

But it has ramped up significantly, with more than half of its one million-tonne milestone distributed in the past two years, said kaihautū Daniela Johnson.

It now distributes food to more than 120 Northland community organisations, from schools to social supermarkets and organisations helping the homeless.

Its donations come from the New Zealand Food Network and local businesses like supermarkets, caterers and orchards.

Since 2017, the need for kai has grown enormously in Northland, changing the organisation’s focus from preventing carbon emissions to ensuring the hungry are fed, Johnson said.

“Because of the need for kai, the focus has really changed. The environmental stuff is still really important but now we’re looking at how to reach the most vulnerable.”

Johnson said it was no surprise to her that a quarter of Kiwi homes with kids regularly go without the food they need, as she sees it every day.

For families on a tight budget, food is often the last thing bought, as there is no ability to change how much is spent on bills like rent or power, she said.

The Whare Āwhina Social Supermarket is one of more than 120 organisations using the food from Whakaora Kai, says kaihautū (manager) Daniela Johnson and store buyer Keene Cassidy. Photo / Denise Piper

“I think it’s to do with the fact that there are so many costs, and that wages or benefits - incomes - are not keeping up with it.”

Teneille Johnson, Whangārei Salvation Army community ministries manager, agrees with this sentiment, saying the cost of living has hit everyone hard.

People needing help with food has changed from just single parents, to everyone including families with two people working, she said.

“I’m a parent of five children as well and there’s been times when we’ve struggled. I get it - it’s the cost of living.”

The Salvation Army’s report, Ending Food Insecurity – What Needs to Be Done Now, calls for urgent action including a national food strategy, liveable incomes for every household, and more support for foodbank and food rescue services.

‘They lit up like lanterns’

Whakaora Kai warehouse co-ordinators Amy Zhong and Steve Gray, with volunteer Tor Heggland, send even more rescued food out the door. Photo / Denise Piper

Joseph Orr, an Arataki Ministries living rough and homelessness support worker, said the food from Whakaora Kai makes all the difference to the clients he works with.

“I [recently] came to pick up some kai, I sorted it into boxes and went to drop it off to some whānau I support. When I got there, they were having a ‘dark’ day.

“On giving them the kai, they lit up like lanterns with happiness and gratitude,” he said.

“Food changes everything. It can tame an angry soul and it has helped me to build rapport, trust and respect with the whānau I work with.”

Regina Pepene, from Manukau Urban Māori Authority, agrees, saying the team at Whakaora Kai do an amazing job.

Her organisation manages a six-bedroom whare in Whangārei for Māori men just released from prison.

Whakaora Kai volunteer Graham Rumble, warehouse co-ordinator Steve Gray and kaihautū (manager) Daniela Johnson pick and collect fruit - another way the organisation stops food going to waste.

When released, they have little more than the clothes they are wearing and have to make do for two weeks until a benefit starts, Pepene said.

“The kai has fed them well and kept their spirits up during that two-week period.

“I take my tāne across each week with me, as the smiles and welcome we receive from the staff is uplifting.”

Whare Āwhina chief executive Liz Cassidy-Canning said Whakaora Kai is proof that small, local efforts can lead to massive impact.

The charity’s social supermarket and community cafe for rough sleepers are two more organisations that benefit from the rescued food.

Cassidy-Canning said as the need for food support continues to grow, Whakaora Kai is committed to increasing capacity and awareness, she said.

“This isn’t the end of the story but a turning point. One million tonnes is a moment to celebrate but also to recommit to the kaupapa. There’s still so much more to do.”

Whakaora Kai is now calling on locals to join the mission by donating surplus fruit and vegetables growing in their own gardens.

The team can even help with picking and collecting the produce, making it easy for households to turn surplus into support, Johnson said

Any support of donations or sponsorship would also be greatly appreciated, she said.

Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.