Residing in the Far North district of New Zealand, in the small town of Kaitaia is NZFN Food Hub - Te Hiku Pātaka (Te Hiku: the far-north region of New Zealand; and Pātaka: meaning "storehouse"). Each day they throw open their doors to an inviting place of support, manaaki and social impact for surrounding communities to access and uplift.

How Te Hiku Pātaka help their community

The food support services that Te Hiku Pātaka offer to support those in their community have been instigated based on the differing needs within the local communities. They include serving kai and food parcels to over 150+ kaumatua (elderly) in the community and kai pickups and drop offs for whānau with no waka. They also fill other pātaka in smaller rural communities.

In 2022, with the rising cost of living driving more people into food insecurity, Te Kahu Oranga Whānau, a collective of iwi and Māori organisations in Te Hiku o te Ika, partnered with Foodstuffs North Island to launch a Social Supermarket. Operated by Te Hiku Pātaka, the Social Supermarket allows referred whānau to select from a wide range of food and supplies using a points system, providing a dignified, supermarket-style experience. This modern approach to food support replaces pre-packed food parcels, enabling individuals and families to meet their specific dietary, cultural, and personal needs.

The current need

With the increasing demand for food support across the country, Te Hiku Pātaka continue to support their Northland community which has reported the second highest deprivation area in New Zealand, a measure comprised of multiple factors such as employment, income, housing, health, education and access to services. With whānau in the region being some of the most isolated and in need, we are grateful to work with Te Hiku Pātaka to get food into the region and reach them.

“Every day we have more and more whānau coming through for the first time. The cost of living is skyrocketing and continues to take its toll on the vulnerable. Imagine having to think about where you are going to get your next meal. This is the sad reality for most of our whānau.”

- Trish King, Pātaka Manager, Te Hiku Pātaka

How food donations connect to the bigger picture

For a family receiving food support, being able to walk the aisles of a supermarket and choose the kai that’s fit for their specific needs creates a mana enhancing experience that can flow on to other areas of their life. During their shopping visits, whānau gain access to wrap-around support from local experts who check in on them and assist in the development of skills such as budgeting and recipe planning using their points allocation.

On top of this, the supermarket is also used to create pathways for some recipients into employment, with volunteer hours in the store translating into work experience and the development of new skills. Overall, your donations to Te Hiku Pātaka through NZFN are certainly having an impact far beyond the dinner table.

Hear about the impact

What it means to the staff to do what they do

“We are a strong team of three and love our mahi. It’s our pleasure to engage with our whānau on a day-to-day basis. This is not just a job, it’s a lifestyle choice to serve our community.”

- Te Hiku Pātaka team.