Almost 40 percent of New Zealand households experience food insecurity, while 19 percent of children live in households that experience food insecurity.
On Voices today, how an award-winning Wellington non-profit feeds hundreds of people each week through its network of volunteers.
Photo: Kadambari Raghukumar
We're at St Peters Church this morning where EKTA, a non-religious non-profit founded by Malaysia-born Manjit Grewal, is busy setting up food stuff under its new programme called DYA.
EKTA took out the Supreme Award at Wellington Airport's Community Awards in September this year.
There’s a long history of food banks right here at St Peters in central Wellington. The story of the Freestore is tied to the history of the “Soup Kitchen” of Wellington which began in 1901.
The Freestore cart still runs out of St Peters five days a week, a service that EKTA modeled itself to complement by serving on weekends.
"Some people who come here are quite old and get lonely. Seeing them connect with some younger people and talking with them is really moving."
-Krishmeeta Shan, volunteer
Every Saturday morning struggling families and individuals queue up at the back of the church to pick up ethnic groceries of all sorts.
Inside a room at the back, several tables are being laid out with food items – lentils, Asian veggies, spices, meat and a lot of fruit.
Photo: Kadambari Raghukumar
"One of the big challenges is to find volunteers who are prepared to give up time and to sacrifice their ability to make money, to spend time in the community.
In summer, winter and windy Wellington, if you're not seen, you are missed. That's a big challenge for EKTA"
-EKTA founder Manjit Grewal
Photo: RNZ
The queue this morning seems to be growing in size and eagerness by the minute, and it’s being pretty deftly managed by one of EKTA’s main volunteers from it’s inception – 25-year-old Krishmeeta Shan.
"It's all about our volunteers. They are always here every weekend and even in the week, although they have full time jobs they still make the time. It's amazing."
-Krishmeeta Shan
Some of the volunteers serve as translators and are keeping things moving this Saturday morning as the room echoes with Cantonese, Arabic and dialects of Hindi amongst others languages.
"It really shows how diverse Wellington actually is"
-Raj, volunteer
