North Shore Times (New Zealand)
Demand for food support keeps rising
“I’m really proud to be backing Pitch In ... I’ve seen firsthand the difference that their mahi is making across the motu.”
The country’s largest not-for-profit food supply and distribution organisation says it has nearly doubled the amount of food going to families.
And a third of those needing food handouts have never taken them before.
The New Zealand Food Network (NZFN) revealed a 42% increase in demand for food support last year compared to 2022 and a whopping 83% increase from 2021.
NZFN chief executive Gavin Findlay said: “Our survey reveals a stark reality that the number of Kiwis struggling to access food continues to rise.
“And this is only set to worsen as we head into the colder months, when families must find extra money to stay warm, dry, and deal with inevitable sickness. More often than not, food falls to the bottom of the priority list, and is why we must continue to take action.”
The bi-annual NZFN Food Security Snapshot surveyed 60 of NZFN’s partner Food Hubs about the current state of demand for food support from July to December, last year.
Across 2023, NZFN supported an average of 630,000-plus individuals a month with food support via its partner Food Hubs’ various services.
This includes food parcels, community meals, social supermarkets and free stores.
On average, 33% of the Food Hubs’ monthly recipients have never needed to seek their support before.
NZFN partner Food Hub, Kiwi Community Assistance chief executive Tracy Wellington said: “Demand from our partner agencies is outstripping our supply. In 2024, pretty much everything we collect from food rescue is gone within minutes of our trucks returning to our base. The stock from NZ Food Network is gone within 24 hours of its arrival.”
To meet this demand, the volume of food distributed by the hubs more than doubled in July to December 2023 compared to the first half of last year (2,940,901kg versus 1,296,917kg), equating to 6,535,335 meals for vulnerable communities.
Nearly all (90%) of the Food Hubs said the rising cost of living was a top reason for recipients seeking food support, followed by low household or individual income because of low-paying jobs (63%), and unexpected bills or expenses (58% up from 53%).
As more and more families struggle to put food on the table, NZFN is putting an urgent call out for Kiwis to donate to their Pitch In campaign, which is halfway through a year-long campaign.
NZFN embarked on a mission to (virtually) fill Auckland’s Eden Park with meals by World Food Day 2024, and they’re asking food businesses and the public to pitch in with bulk food donations and financial donations to reach this goal.
Former Rugby World Champion Piri Weepu is part of the line-up of famous faces supporting the cause, including comedian Leigh Hart, professional rugby player Sam Slade and award-winning Special Olympics athlete Grace Payne.
“I’m really proud to be backing Pitch In, and after volunteering at the NZFN, I’ve seen firsthand the difference that their mahi is making across the motu,” Weepu said. “We’re half-way to achieving our goal of filling the field, but we can’t stop the momentum now. So remember that every donation counts, no matter how big or small.”
To make a bulk food or financial donation, visit pitchin.org.nz to learn more, and see how the New Zealand Food Network gets food to where it’s needed most.