Where to get food
| Source | What it offers | How to access |
|---|---|---|
| Foodbanks (Salvation Army, City Missions, churches, community groups) | Food parcels, sometimes budgeting support | Call or walk in; some need a referral from Work and Income, Plunket, a school or a community worker, others don't |
| Community pantries and fridges | Free shelves, often no questions | Find locally via community Facebook pages, library or council |
| KiwiHarvest | Rescues surplus food and supplies it to charities | Not usually direct: it supplies the groups above; check the website for partners near you |
| Work and Income food grant | Special Needs Grant for food in emergencies | Ask online in MyMSD or call; check eligibility and limits |
| School lunches (Ka Ora, Ka Ako) | Free lunches in participating schools; the programme was funded to the end of 2026 (check what happens next at education.govt.nz) | Ask your child's school |
| Marae, iwi and Pacific community groups | Kai and support for whānau | Contact your local marae or iwi service provider |
| Salvation Army Community Ministries | Food, budgeting, emergency help | Phone or visit a local centre |
Work and Income help for food
- Special Needs Grants can help with emergency food. The income limit for a Special Needs Grant is $1,010.41 a week for a single person and $1,467.61 for a couple (check current limits).
- You can ask even if you're working or between jobs.
- Ask at the same time about Temporary Additional Support (up to 13 weeks at a time) and advance payments.
- Phone 0800 559 009 or use MyMSD.
Stretching your food budget
- Plan five or six cheap meals using pantry staples (rice, lentils, oats, eggs, frozen veg, tinned fish).
- Shop late-day discounts, markets near closing, and the cheaper supermarket own-brand lines.
- Cook once, eat twice. Freeze leftovers.
- Check fortnightly 'specials' on your regular items. Use unit price labels.
- Grow herbs, silverbeet, spring onions and tomatoes if you have space; community gardens often share.
- Ask a MoneyTalks mentor to help set a food budget that fits your income.
It's okay to ask
Foodbank demand has risen across NZ as more people need support, and redundancy is a common trigger. Using these services is what they're for. If shame is making it hard, ring 1737 (call or text) to talk to a trained counsellor.
Sources
- Work and Income: Special Needs Grant (opens in a new tab)
- FinCap: MoneyTalks free financial helpline (opens in a new tab)
- KiwiHarvest (opens in a new tab)
- Salvation Army NZ (opens in a new tab)
General information only. Confirm with the agency for your situation. Spotted something out of date? Email help@unemployed.nz.