Food Banks
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.
Social Supermarket.
https://pnmss.nzPalmerston North Methodist Social Services - Social Supermarket
421 Church Street
Ph 358 7455 for an appointment
https://www.salvationarmy.org.nz/centres/nz/lower-north-island/palmerston-northVisit Website
69 McLean Street
Ph 376 5688
68 Aorangi Street, Feilding
Ph 323 7191
https://manchesterhouse.co.nz/emergency-food-support/Emergency Food Support
Operates a food bank every weekday. Bread, fruit, and vegetables available. Budgeting advisor required for food parcels.
Pasifika Centre, Bill Brown Park
Ph 0211770654
Provides food parcels and other social services for Pasifika families.
252 Rangitikei Street
Call 06 3576779 to arrange a food parcel
Support with clothing and household items.
Free Stores / Food Rescue
Free Stores differ from Food Banks in that they operate on a ‘no need to prove need’ or ‘no criteria’ basis. They also serve the environmental purpose of food rescue — keeping edible food out of landfill!
248 Featherston Street, Palmerston North
Open weekdays 1.30pm–6pm. Bring your own bags
https://www.justzilch.org.nzwww.justzilch.org.nz
140–148 Maxwell's Line, Awapuni
Open Monday and Friday 1–2pm. Please bring your own bags and park on the road.
Te Pataka Kai 4412 is a safe and friendly space for whānau to come and get kai with no questions asked or criteria to meet.
Best Care (Whakapai Hauora) Charitable Trust is working with other Manawatū partners to provide kai within our 4412 community.
Coordinator: Kylie Johanson
Follow updates on Facebook: Pataka Kai 4412
Koha shop with free food and secondhand items
42 Pembroke St
Open Monday–Friday 9.30am–12pm
https://www.facebook.com/TeWhareKohaHighbury
Whyte Street, Foxton 3 Kent Street, Levin
Mondays 4.30–5.30pm
Ph 027 221 3561
Contact coordinator: Linda
Wednesdays 2–4pm, with occasional pop-ups advertised via Facebook
Ph 022 363 4409
mailto:info@hopehub.co.nzContact via email
https://www.hopehub.co.nzwww.hopehub.co.nz
https://www.facebook.com/LevinFreeFoodStore/
36 Plimmer Tce, Shannon
Open Tuesday–Saturday 10am–3pm
A community-led centre distributing free food to the community and groups, supported by onsite shops
https://www.facebook.com/shannonkaihubShannon Kai Hub | Facebook
Community Meals
Free hot meals on Monday nights. Doors open 5.30pm, meal served at 6pm.
Legacy Centre, cnr. Highbury and Brentwood Avenue
Ph 027 270 5715
https://legacy.net.nz/just-hope/Legacy Just Hope
Free community meal held at Gateway's from 5–8pm on Monday.
174–178 Church Street.
Hot food distributed every Saturday night from 10pm–2am.
Te Marae o Hine, The Square.
Palmerston North-based social enterprise engaging corporate volunteers to make free lunches for primary school children.
Click here to access the list of Pātaka Kai in Palmerston North
Crop Swaps
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.
Runs monthly on the second Sunday of each month at the Awapuni Community Centre, 22 Newbury Street, from 1:30pm–2:30pm.
The Awapuni Community Garden is behind the hall. Any leftover seedlings are immediately planted in the garden after the swap events so nothing goes to waste.
Don’t have anything to bring? No problem! Come along anyway, meet some friendly local gardeners and take some treats home.
Find them on Facebook: Palmy Crop Swap
Held regularly in Ashhurst, usually once a month.
Check out their Facebook page to see upcoming events.
Held on the 2nd Sunday of the month at Foxton School Hall, 2–3pm.
Bring along any surplus garden produce to share, and take home something someone else has grown.
Get in touch with Crop Swap NZ or contact us for guidance.
Seed Libraries
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 grow 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.
The three MFAN seed exchanges can be accessed at:
• ENM Office – 145 Cuba St, Ph 06 355 0126
• Te Pātikitiki Branch Library – 157 Highbury Ave, Ph 06 357 2108
• Awapuni Branch Library – 96C College St, Ph 06 356 7634
• Roslyn Library – 8 Kipling St, Ph 06 357 9287
The first donation of seeds to kick-start the Palmerston North seed libraries was donated by Plant to Plate Aotearoa in 2020. Thanks Plant to Plate!
RECAP coordinates a Seed Exchange at the Ashhurst Branch Library, 64 Bamfield Street, Ashhurst.
Anyone is welcome to participate. There are simple forms to complete on the Seed Exchange shelf.
Seed Exchange located in the Feilding Public Library, 64 Stafford Street, Feilding
Ph 06 323 5373
If you would like to donate seeds or make a cash donation to support the seed exchanges, please drop seeds into the ENM office or donate online.
National Food Sharing Directories
A map showing food sharing sites around the country.
Where are the food banks around New Zealand?
ENM on Facebook