Tackling Food Insecurity: Waitara Pataka Kai’s Innovative Approach

The cost-of-living crisis has left many New Zealanders struggling to access basic necessities, including food. The Waitara Foodbank Pataka Kai is at the forefront of addressing this issue by prioritizing food sovereignty and community-led initiatives.

A Broken System: The Need for Change

Staff at the Waitara Foodbank have seen a significant increase in new faces walking through their doors, yet community donations have decreased by about 50 percent compared to last year. This has led to concerns that the current model of dependency is unsustainable. “It’s desperate times for people,” said co-chairperson Tiri Porter (Te Ātiawa, Ngāpuhi). “The foodbank system is broken, and it’s operating on a model of dependency for funding and many of our regular users.”

A New Approach: Food Sovereignty

Instead of relying solely on food parcels, the Waitara Foodbank has shifted its focus to food resilience. Operations manager Amy Olsen is working with 35 volunteers to encourage people to be more self-reliant and achieve long-term food security. “It was amazing how many people said they would just love to have somewhere they could go to freely and hang out with other people,” Olsen explained.

The Benefits of Community Gardens

Olsen believes that community gardens offer a unique opportunity for people to connect with their whānau, the land, and themselves. “Connecting to the land also helps with addiction recovery,” she said. “It’s not just about the food coming out of it, but the mahi that they’re doing on themselves.”

The Waitara branch has become a hub for other health and well-being services, providing a holistic approach to addressing food insecurity. Olsen emphasized that everything they do is community-led and community-driven, listening to the people.

Community-Led Initiatives

One of the most ambitious projects at the Waitara Foodbank is the development of a community garden. The team has been working tirelessly to secure land and establish a space where people can come together to grow their own kai. “Everything that we do here is community-led,” Olsen said.

A Hub for Support

The Waitara branch has also become a central hub for directing people to other health and well-being services. As Olsen noted, “Because food is often only one of the things that someone needs, and if you’re hungry, there’s 12 other things that suffer.”

A Message from the Heart

The Waitara Foodbank – Pataka Kai was overwhelmed with donations during their annual community collections run on Sunday, December 1. The team is “overwhelmed, overjoyed, overtired, and completely in awe” of the generosity from the rohe. As they continue to serve their community, Olsen emphasized that everything they do is guided by a commitment to whānau Māori kai – food grown with love and care for our people.

Conclusion

The Waitara Foodbank Pataka Kai’s innovative approach to addressing food insecurity serves as a beacon of hope in the fight against hunger. By prioritizing food sovereignty, community-led initiatives, and holistic support services, they are empowering their community to take control of their own well-being. As Olsen so eloquently put it, “It’s not just about the food coming out of it, but the mahi that they’re doing on themselves.”