New World and PAK’nSAVE customers have united through a pay-it-forward campaign to raise $35,000 to help stock the shelves of local social supermarkets.
The campaign ran for two weeks in September, with customers across eight participating New World and PAK’nSAVE supermarkets able to voluntarily add a small donation to their spending at the checkout.
Supported by the pay-it-forward platform GoGenerosity, every cent donated to the campaign has gone to the social supermarkets in each region, helping reduce food insecurity by ensuring families in need have access to fresh produce and essential items.
The supermarkets that took part in the campaign include the following:
- Hawke’s Bay: New World Hastings and New World Onekawa, supporting Nourished for Nil’s social supermarket
- West Auckland: New World New Lynn and PAK’nSAVE Henderson supporting Visionwest’s Maanaki Kai social supermarket
- Northland: New World Regent and PAK’nSAVE Whangārei, supporting 155 Whare Āwhina’s Whare Kai social supermarket
- Waikato: New World Tokoroa and New World Matamata, supporting BBM’s Tokoroa social supermarket
Earlier this year, Tauranga stores New World Brookfield and PAK’nSAVE Cameron Road piloted the campaign to support Linkt Community Trust’s Otumoetai social supermarket.
Willa Hand, Head of Social Supermarkets for Foodstuffs North Island, the co-operative behind the North Island’s New World, PAK’nSAVE, and Four Square stores, said that as locally owned and operated stores, Foodstuffs supermarkets have deep roots in the communities they serve.
“Our partnerships with social supermarkets aim to ensure that families in need are fed and given the dignity of choice in what they take home. As an organisation, we’ve contributed just under $5 million to support social supermarkets across the North Island,” said Hand.
“Customers incredibly support the initiative and often ask us how they can help. This was an easy way for them to directly contribute to the social supermarkets in their region, which I know many will appreciate. This voluntary pay-it-forward campaign allowed our customers who want to - and can - share in the giving to make an even greater difference.”
Local community groups run Social Supermarkets in partnership with Foodstuffs North Island. They rely heavily on funding from Foodstuffs, support from their buddy stores, grants and donations to provide groceries for those in need.
Unlike traditional food banks, the social supermarket model empowers families to select the groceries they need through a points system. Each shopper is allocated several points based on their family size, which they can use to select items they want from the supermarket shelves.
Rohan McCloskey, Chief Executive of GoGenerosity, said GoGenerosity was created to allow small acts of kindness to impact the broader community's needs significantly.
“We’re very proud to have partnered with Foodstuffs North Island to help address an extremely pressing issue facing many New Zealanders,” said McCloskey.
"The support from these local supermarkets, and now their customers, will go a long way in helping us facilitate a sense of normality and independence for those experiencing food insecurity."
