On Thursday 8 June, Visionwest Community Trust opened the first social supermarket of its kind in Auckland. Named Manaaki Kai, the supermarket has been established in partnership with Foodstuffs North Island and will serve West Auckland residents.
Throughout West Auckland, many people live with ongoing food insecurity, that is they struggle to afford good, nutritious food. In fact, 19% of our New Zealand children live in food insecure homes.
A social supermarket provides a dignified alternative a traditional foodbank where, rather than supplying prepacked food parcels, those with a need for food support are able to self-select the goods they need. Shoppers are also guided through the shopping process so that clients can be supported with practical skills to plan and shop for healthy meals.
Operating like a small, regular supermarket, every grocery item in Manaaki Kai is given a points value. Shoppers are allocated a number of points depending on the size of their household. They can then select goods of their choice up to that points value.
Danielle Cleverdon, Head of Kai Services at Visionwest says, "It’s about providing food support in a way that retains the dignity and mana of those who are receiving it. Each shopper is asked to contribute to help sustain the work of Manaaki Kai. This contribution adds to that dignity.”
Shoppers at Manaaki Kai must live in West Auckland and must prebook a timeslot by visiting Visionwest’s Whānau Centre, 67 Glendale Road, Glen Eden. More information is available on the Visionwest website; https://visionwest.org.nz/whai...
You can make a donation here: https://visionwest.org.nz/donate
