Koha Kai Pātaka supporting local whānau

The newly created Koha Kai Pātaka at Walter Nash Park in Taitā emerged out of insights that the local food system and environment is not meeting the basic needs of people living in Taitā. While connecting and learning from people in the community, it became apparent that a challenge for whānau living in Taitā was accessing affordable basic food needs close to home.

The Koha Kai Pātaka has been in its new home at Walter Nash Park for a few weeks now. Through local champion and kaitiaki of the park Sue Rei, we have heard how the initiative is growing and supporting local whānau. The pātaka is helping to feed tamariki when ingredients are short at home, providing a boost to family meals and providing a space for whānau to fill the pātaka with kai they don’t need from their own cupboards.

The pātaka is a place where people can take what they need for their whānau and leave what they can for others. By creating somewhere to share excess kai with others in the neighbourhood it creates a sense of community spirit and teaches tamariki the value of showing manaaki to others.

Imagine if good food was available to all of our people, every day.