
Whai Manaaki Kai
The demand for our kai support services has remained constant throughout this year, meeting the needs of whānau who are going through tough times.
Manaaki Kai (Social supermarket)
In early June, we celebrated the one-year anniversary of the opening of Manaaki Kai, our Social Supermarket and the move towards a greater alignment with what we believe mana-enhancing food support should look like – see our Milestones section.
Alongside the provision of food, Manaaki Kai has become a place of connectedness and care that allows our staff to support families and link them with other services they require. The provision of meal kits and instruction from staff has also helped whānau by equipping them with an understanding of the basics of cooking.
86% of Pātaka Kai users cite ongoing financial hardship as their reason for required food support (6% unplanned cost, 4% health concerns).
Under the Flexiwage scheme, we have employed a number of previous recipients of food parcels or other Visionwest services (some have moved into permanent positions).
Partnerships with food providers such as Fonterra, Meat the Need, and Sanitarium, are vital and have had a positive impact on the availability of food through Manaaki Kai.
The number of Food Parcels provided by Pātaka Kai is less than last year, reflecting the number of whānau now accessing food through our social supermarket.
Our response to food insecurity
Tā mātou whakautu ki te āhuatanga kai pōharatanga

Donated Food Provided to Visionwest*

Parcels Provided through Pātaka Kai
*Not including Christmas From The Heart
Albert’s Story
As a superannuitant in rented accommodation, Albert finds things tough at times but support from Visionwest Whai Manaaki Kai has been a great help freeing up money to go towards essential living items.
Pātaka Kai (Emergency food parcel service)
Pātaka Kai is now open three days a week rather than four days as it was previously. This is, in part, due to the opening of Manaaki Kai; it also means we are better able to sustain this form of food support and signals a shift to a model of emergency food parcel provision rather than day-to-day food support.
Whata Manaaki
Whata Manaaki is our goods and stock warehouse and the engine room behind Whai Manaaki Kai. Within our food procurement space, the rising demand for food is a challenge. Our dependency on food rescue organisations has grown substantially over the past 12 months which is positive with regards to the sustainability of our kai support service. It also needs to be recognised, however, that these organisations are also facing difficulties in meeting a demand that is constantly increasing.
New initiatives
Over the past year, we have established a partnership with a local orchard and initiated the cultivation of a vegetable garden. This means we are able to obtain weekly produce to supplement our food rescue and purchasing efforts. This initiative represents one of the several measures Visionwest is implementing to promote a more sustainable food service.
A community fruit and vegetable pop-up was trialled enabling Visionwest whānau and community residents to purchase high-quality produce at significantly discounted prices. Alongside the promotion of improved nutrition by making healthy food more accessible to everyone, the fruit and vegetable pop-up was ideal for fostering greater community engagement.
Demographic changes
We are observing a rise in certain demographics accessing kai support. Notable is the increase in the number of:
- Two-income families.
- Individuals who are affected by illness within their family and, having exhausted all their sick leave and annual leave, have no savings to cover unpaid leave while they care for family members.
- Older people (6% of those supported are over 65 years old).
Perhaps the most fulfilling accomplishment during the year has been our ability to build strong connections with whānau within our kai services. These connections have created a supportive environment that allows us to care for and assist whānau to access the services they require and that will enable a life transformation.
Our response to food insecurity
Tā mātou whakautu ki te āhuatanga kai pōharatanga

Shoppers through Manaaki Kai

Value or emergency food parcels provided*
*Does not include social supermarket