What We Do…

The Good Works Trust Food Security Hub supports vulnerable and hard to reach whanau by offering a Hand Up rather than a handout. Transitioning whanau from dependence on food parcels into having agency over their food supply - tino rangitiratanga. Improving mana and self reliance.  

Our hub provides crisis and emergency food parcels, operates a Social Supermarket, an annual Christmas Shopping program for vulnerable whanau - thanks to the generosity of the Lion Foundation, 60 school lunch kits a week to whanau across 8 North Shore schools not eligible for government funded lunches, and distributes resources to other community groups and organisations across the North Shore.

Crisis food parcels and access to the Social Supermarket requires a referral from an agency or social worker.

Sponsorship for lunch kits urgently sought - $800 per week or $8000 per term ...

Sponsorship for lunch kits urgently sought - $800 per week or $8000 per term ...

Food Bank

  • FOODBANK – Emergency Food Parcels

    The Good Works Trust foodbank delivers emergency food parcels across the North Shore to those in urgent need with no capacity to access food.

    By partnering with front-line agencies we know that recipients are not only in legitimate need of this assistance, but are also accessing wrap-around professional support.

    Many of the recipients we deliver to are living in emergency or social housing with complex needs. We provide three - 4 days of meal ingredients in line with the recommended NZ Standard Food Parcel and 4 days minimum support for MSD COVID response boxes. Each includes fresh produce, chilled and frozen foods, lunches, snacks and meats. We also provide toiletries, baby care items and accommodate special dietary requirements such as gluten free and vegetarian and non cooking or non perishable (suitable for those with no address or limited facilities).

    If you are from an agency and need to request a parcel for a client, please use the food parcel button on the menu bar or email admin@gwt.org.nz for info.

    If you want to get involved as a helper, driver or simply donate we’d love to connect with you as together we can make a difference in the lives of the people of Te Raki Paewhenua (North Shore).

School Lunch Kits

  • Child Hunger is alive and well on the North Shore. Our School Lunch Kit project provides whanau with the supplies to make a weeks worth of school lunches at home. We supply 55 kits per week containing bread, spreads, crackers, cheese, ham, biscuits fruit etc. They’re distributed to 7 kura who determine which whanau most need the support. They report good outcomes since this initiative began last year including improved learning outcomes and less stress. Kids are coming to school with lunches that look like the other kids lunches, and are made by their own parents for them at home.

    Providing the kit instead of a school meal is less stigmatising, and we know from recent media reports vast quantities of state provided school meals end up in the bin as the kids simply don’t like the food. Also the parents aren’t invested in any way as they don’t even see the food the kids are given. Our School lunch kits have also helped whanau to avoid reaching the point of needing emergency kai, reducing dependency on emergency food grants or food parcels.

    Lunch kits currently cost approximately $7000 per term to provide. We are seeking sponsors to help keep this project going. If we don’t feed these hungry kids, no one else currently will. If you are interested in what sponsorship might look like please talk to us.

Christmas Shop

  • Thanks to the Lion Foundation the Christmas Shop has been running in its present form for nearly a decade, with the Good Works Trust teaming up with Te Puna Hauora and many other agencies to outwork the GWT vision of “Strengthening Communities – Creating Hope”.

    In December 2023 we were able to support and transform Christmas for over 220 families, capping a year which highlighted the effects of extensive flooding on the Shore and the escalating cost of living crisis resulting in increasing need for those most vulnerable.

    Christmas is a time of stress and disillusionment for many who live close to the line, with feelings of disempowerment, exclusion and failure in the role of parents to “put on a good Christmas”. This can lead to depression, family violence or feelings of alienation.

    Thanks to the Support of the Lion Foundation, here’s a snapshot of what happens at the Christmas Shop:

    For a pre-arranged koha (donation) we offer access to a wide selection groceries, meat and produce sufficient to provide for the week of Christmas including items suitable for a festive meal or to take to share at whanau gathering. The selection is substantially discounted allowing participating whanau to provide a real Christmas meal just like any other household.

    Why not just give it away? Tino Rangatiratanga – it’s about giving agency, choice, self determination and dignity. Whanau who pay a little “within their means” contribution retain their mana, have buy-in and choices. The 10% koha means they are not receiving charity, but are part of a community rallying to put a metaphoric arm around the shoulders of its most vulnerable.

    The program is staffed on the day by kaiarahi and social workers from our partner agencies as well as our volunteers who collect, pick, pack and in some cases deliver the selected items to clients without transport.

    Our partner agencies include Te Puna Hauroa, WDHB, RESPECT (formerly living without violence), Pathways, Corrections, Oranga Tamariki and the Birkdale and Beachhaven Community Project. Gift for tamariki are generously provided by the Kindness Collective and individually wrapped by our volunteers.

FROM OUR PARTNERS

The service has been a life saver for my clients and as social worker, I am very grateful for the efficient and professional service I have received from GWT.Thank you so much. Maureen Sakey -Social Worker, Barnardos

The GWT food bank has been an important resources to access for some of my clients. A number of people I have supported have financial strain and transport issues. Their quick service and ability to deliver has greatly helped those in need while ensuring clinical hours are not taken up by unnecessary travel. Laura Davies, RN, Adult Community Mental Health Services North.

Our whanau were all very grateful to receive your wonderful support yet again.  You all do an amazing job!  Kia kaha, kia maia, kia manawanui. Joanna Fifita  Community Services Team Administrator, Te Puna Hauora o Te Raki Paewhenua

Knowing that our services can call on you to support our clients when they are at their most vulnerable is a blessing.  What I find most positive when applying for a food parcel are questions that relate to special needs of clients, rather than assumptions being made on their needs. Having food parcels delivered to clients’ homes is a god send – so many of our clients are not in a position to collect and once again, it shows me how client focused your precious service is. Chris Frew, Social Worker, North Shore Women’s Centre

Good Works Trust Food Bank

LUNCH KIT RESULTS

The lunch kits have eased pressure for parents/caregivers while maintaining their self-determination in being able to prepare their child's lunch themselves and decide what goes in the lunchbox. The teachers have noticed a general improvement in learning engagement from students who often went without lunch prior to receiving these lunch kits.  Trixi Pavey,Kaiārahi | Programme Lead,Beach Haven House/Birkdale Beach Haven Community Project

"The lunch bags that I pick up on Monday's are greatly appreciated by our families. I try to spread them around. We have a growing number of families who need a little 'hand up', especially since COVID. Receiving a lunch bag means that some of these children can bring lunch to school for a few days without having to feel embarrassed about going to the office every day for food. The bags make a huge difference" - Trudi Storm, Beach Haven Primary

"This support is getting to where it needs to be, the tamariki, whānau, teachers, school and wider community all benefit from it" Birkdale North School

"We've been getting the lunch packs since it's started and it's really helped our whānau in need, and there's always someone in need. It has also occasionally helped our Kaimahi to feed their whānau when they are struggling too." Annette Whetu, Kohanga Reo

LUNCH KIT FEED BACK:

DIGNITY IN RECEIVING

The Christmas Shop is a Good Works Trust mana enhancing initiative. Shoppers have agency, choice and an opportunity to contribute.

The shop is a one day annual event in mid-December that provides an opportunity for some of the most disadvantaged in our community to exercise tino rangatiratanga over the food that nourishes their whanau at Christmas.

The Good Works Trust Food team work in close partnership with kairahi from Te Puna Hauora and other agencies to select a range of popular and affordable foods for clients to choose from. The shop allows clients to choose their own kai at a price they can actually afford, reducing dependency on food banks and emergency food grants.

How it works…

Clients are referred by their support worker well in advance and agree to contribute a small koha within their means $25-$30 as an example. The Christmas Shop then subsides the client so their koha returns vastly more in food than it's actual dollar value - usually in the region of $150 - $180.

Help make a difference…

Operating now for over a decade, it takes a large team of volunteers and generous sponsors to bring Christmas Shop together. Supported by the social workers and agencies we partner with, Christmas Shop makes a tangible difference to whanau. If you want to make a difference with the get in touch with us to help, donate or sponsor.

Christmas Shop