Connecting with kai

Across the motu, Salvation Army foodbanks are expanding their food response to offer new food-based wrap-arounds alongside traditional food parcels. These new food supports are strengths-based and help build knowledge, skills, access and connection, empowering whānau to move from dependence to a place of greater resilience, sovereignty and security. 

We’ve defined seven areas of food security support that Salvation Army Community Ministries can offer. These are

  • Choosing kai
  • Cooking kai
  • Growing kai
  • Sharing kai
  • Buying kai
  • Connecting with kai
  • Partnering around kai

Because food insecurity is different in every community, our foodbanks are empowered to adopt the food security initiatives that best meet the unique needs of their community and match their own resources. This flexible approach helps target our resources to best effect and provides a great opportunity for partnering with other community organisations. From Kaitaia to Invercargill you’ll see different expressions of food security at Salvation Army foodbanks. In this video you can see how our Whangarei team is helping strengthen food security for whānau and their community..

You can help our Community Ministries  implement or expand food security programmes in their Community by making a donation through their landing page.

  • Connecting whānau through shared meals onsite
  • Supporting communities with food brought to their communities
  • Nourishing whānau at drop-in Community Ministries
  • Engaging volunteers with our food supports 

Food is a powerful tool for creating connection and building community and benefits those who come together to prepare and serve the kai, just as much as those that come to consume the kai. Across the country, Salvation Army Community Ministries offer a wide range of programmes with food at their heart that create individuals who may be socially or physically isolated or experiencing food insecurity. Through sharing warm and nourishing kai together we can help strengthen community connection and food security.  Connecting through kai takes on many different forms that reflect the unique needs of our communities, from school lunch programmes to street BBQs and hangis, drop in Community Ministries and community meals, we see the positive impact of connecting communities through kai.