A nation-wide snapshot of whānau, hope, and the power of community kai

This report weaves together the voices of whānau to illustrate the impact of community food support on whānau wellbeing within Aotearoa. Developed in partnership between the Tāmaki Makaurau Community Food Leaders Network and Kore Hiakai Zero Hunger Collective, this report presents findings from a survey with 189 whānau who had received food support in the six months to the end of October 2025 from across Auckland and Wānaka. It includes the stories of 641 people, 267 of whom are children.

The insights of Whānau were gathered through conducting surveys over a three-week period in October and November 2025. Whānau were asked to answer twenty questions around whether and how their lives had been impacted by receiving food support, as well as questions about demographics, household make up, sources of income and the frequency whānau accessed community food support.

Our report demonstrates the value of community food support and the impact it has on the lives of whānau in need. The report shows that while the government does not offer alternative ways for whānau to access affordable food, such as an increase in benefits, adjustments to the accommodation supplement and minimum wage rates set to inflation or another form of adequate income, stimulating local food economies, better access to special needs grants for food and regulating the grocery sector, there is an urgency for the government to further strengthen organisations who provide food support across Aotearoa New Zealand.