Accessing Food Support

A food bank collects, stores, packs, and distributes food and other needed items to people experiencing food insecurity. They are often linked to social service agencies. There can be a criteria as to whether you are able to access food.

A food bank collects, stores, packs, and distributes food and other needed items to people experiencing food insecurity. They are often linked to social service agencies. There can be a criteria as to whether you are able to access food.

A food bank collects, stores, packs, and distributes food and other needed items to people experiencing food insecurity. They are often linked to social service agencies. There can be a criteria as to whether you are able to access food.

Pātaka Kai is the Māori term for a food storehouse or basically a pantry.

Pātaka Kai are a space for people to leave what they can (excess garden produce and food for example) and for people to take what they need. This is not an exchange system, nor is koha required. Pātaka Kai are open 24/7.

*Please let us know of any not listed here so we can keep the directory up to date.

Crop Swaps are friendly free-exchange events for backyard gardeners to share their produce, seedlings, seeds and knowledge.

Bring your excess fresh produce, seeds, seedlings or cuttings along to share with others. Don’t have anything to bring? No problem! Come along anyway, meet some friendly local gardeners and take some treats home.

Save seeds, Donate seeds, take seeds...share locally grown seeds suitable to our Manawatū climate!

The purpose of a seed exchange is to provide free access to seeds for anyone wishing to growing their own kai, and to house donations from those who wish to share.

​​We invite donations of seeds for our seed exchanges, seedlings (vegetables and herbs) for planting in community garden projects, and we are a drop-off for clean garden pots in good condition.