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Kiwi Community Assistance

  • We need to move to a new home

      5 February 2026

    Did you catch the TV1 News story about us on Monday 2 February 2026?

    Our Grenada North warehouse was sold last year, and more recently we were advised that the new tenant won’t be continuing the sublease. This means we now need to vacate the building and find a new home.

    Relocating is a big and costly task. It will cost around $80,000 to move, as we need to carefully dismantle our chiller rooms, freezer rooms and all of the racking systems you see in our warehouse, then rebuild everything at a new premises so we can keep operating safely and effectively.

    To continue business as usual and keep supporting our community, we really need help to fundraise this amount.

    We’re incredibly grateful that Woolworths NZ has generously donated $26,000 to help kick-start the fund. This support means so much to us and gives us a strong starting point, but there’s still a long way to go.

    If you’d like to learn more about our situation and why this move is so urgent, you can watch the TV1 News story here:

    https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/02/04/wellington-food-rescue-charity-needs-new-home-or-faces-closure/

    Thank you for taking the time to read and for any support you’re able to give.

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  • 2025 Impact — The Year That Was

      1 January 2026
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    Happy New Year!

    In 2025, Greater Wellington felt the pressure of the cost-of-living crisis like never before. With rising food costs and rents, more whānau turned to support out of necessity, not choice.

    Every week, our food rescue trucks collected surplus kai to deliver to foodbanks, kindergartens, schools and community groups across the region. Behind the scenes, volunteers and our two paid staff—Tracy and Steve—unloaded pallets, checked fridge temperatures and sorted thousands of banana boxes, ensuring food was handled with care, respect and dignity.

    A simple moment, but a powerful reminder that this mahi is about more than food—it’s hope, relief and manaakitanga.

    As we step into 2026, we’re proud to restart our food rescue programme on 5 January 2026, while continuing the search for a new warehouse to call home. The road ahead is challenging, but our commitment remains strong.

    Thank you to our volunteers and supporters, and to partners including Woolworths NZ, Foodstuffs North Island, Wild Chef, Moshim’s, NZ Food Network, Auto Super Shoppe Johnsonville and James Cook Hotel Grand Chancellor.

    If you’d like to help us keep the wheels turning and food flowing, please consider donating funds. Every dollar makes a difference.

    We’re grateful to have you alongside us for 2026.

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  • 24th June 2025 Update

      24 June 2025

    Like many in our community, we’re feeling the pressure of the cost of living crisis. The need for support is growing fast, and while we’re doing everything we can to stretch every dollar, our own costs—like insurance and rent—are rising too.

    At Kiwi Community Assistance, we operate as efficiently as possible, with just $1 allowing us to distribute 1kg of essentials to those in need. Even better, every $1 donated creates $4.50 in social value—real impact for real people.

    But we can’t do it without you.

    Your support helps us continue rescuing and redistributing food, clothing, and everyday essentials to thousands across Greater Wellington. If you’re in a position to give, please consider donating today. Every dollar truly makes a difference.

    Thank you for helping us help others.

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  • 12th July 2022 - 2022 Supreme Winner at the Wellington Airport Regional Community Awards

      13 July 2022
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    We are humbled and privileged last night to be the Supreme Winner at the Wellington Regional Community Awards in Porirua for the work that our charity does.

    The work that our charity does is deemed an essential service but our volunteers and staff work in the background. They sort and box food up from local supermarkets, farmers' markets, manufacturing companies, general public and last year this meant that we were able to redistribute 345 tons of food back into the community.

    Businesses such as Colgate-Palmolive, Hanes Pacific Brand, McPhersons and the general public donated non-food items such as clothing, shoes, hair accessories etc for our volunteers to make into care packages.

    We don't meet or chose who we assist. This is done by our charity partners who offer their clients wrap around services in budgeting, addiction, living without violence, foster care etc.

    Nothing that we do has our branding on it as we provide dignity to families requiring a hand up.

    We are also finalist in the Wellington City region for the work that we do next month.

    Please help us to continue the work that we do in the Greater Wellington region.

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  • KCA still operating through all traffic lights

      3 May 2022
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    Sorry we haven't updated our Give A Little page recently.

    Our volunteers have been super busy working throughout the Covid pandemic for the past 2 years.

    We have seen a huge increase in the need to provide the essential of life - food, clothing, school supplies, etc as families struggle with the cost of living and living with Covid.

    Last financial year - to year end 31st March 2022 KCA's volunteers have distributed over 335 tons of food, over 4,000 banana boxes of PPE gear, clothing, kids toys to our partner agencies to pass on for free to clients working with them.

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  • 20th April 2021

      20 April 2021
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    Sincerest thanks to all those who have donated to us over the past financial year - 1st April 2020 to 31st March 2021.

    We have been living through extra-ordinary times since Covid-19 appeared in NZ.

    KCA's work assisting 77 partner agencies across the Greater Wellington region was deemed an essential service and we had to shrink our bubbles down to 7 people from 100!

    During the past 12 months KCA has seen approx 70% increase in the volumes of donated food due to the generosity of the local businesses that allow us to rescue food from their sites. We were also approached by staff at companies offering to donate us food and clothing for those affected by job losses which continue to occur due to the changes in hospitality and other industries.

    The new financial year which started on the 1st April 2021 will bring us challenges as we need to raise funds to pay for our larger 500 square meter warehouse and operational costs now that we have consolidated our 4 depots into 1 building.

    Please help us to help others in your local community who are still struggling due to Covid-19. It will take some time for many families to recover.

    Its been great also having government departments staff such as Ministry for the Environment, ACC, Chorus, Accenture come out for corporate days to assist us with man power.

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  • KCA moved into larger warehouse

      20 August 2020
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    Sorry we have been a bit quiet with updates but we have been super busy.

    We have continued business as usual whilst consolidating from several depots into 1 larger 500sqm warehouse.

    We have been fitting out our new premises with a brand new chiller and freezer room, building warehouse racking systems to house all of the out of season stock and setting up a larger office and pick up area.

    I would like to thanks all the corporate groups from Chorus, FMG, Singapore Airlines, Accenture, AJ Park, Vocus (to name a few) who have assisted us with the huge job of packing and setting up a new larger warehouse.

    Our food rescue program continues to do huge volumes of over 33 tons of food each month which is distributed to local foodbanks and community groups in the Greater Wellington region.

    Our non-food side of our operations reopened up late June when our partner agencies commenced home visits with their clients. To date we have distributed 549 banana boxes of clothing, shoes, linen and then cots and prams to our partner agencies for free.

    We still need your help as the struggle for some families is getting worse with more companies laying off staff.

    Please help our volunteers to continue the work that they do.

    Thanks

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  • 8th July 2020

      8 July 2020
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    Due to the generosity of our sponsors and the general public during Covid-19 we have outgrown our current warehouse facility and have found operating out of multiple locations isn't efficient.

    We have now secured a larger warehouse in the same area but need your help to fit it out. We have managed to raise approx 60% of the funds required thanks to financial donations from the following sponsors:-

    1) Foodstuffs NZ

    2) Countdown

    3) Sutherland Self Help Trust

    4) Wellington City Council

    5) Our volunteers

    6) Our followers on Facebook

    We also have companies coming forward to assist us with the move, manpower and providing us with significantly discounted fit out of the warehouse so that we can operate business as usual.

    1) Foodstuffs Transport Division moving all of our stock from old warehouse to new warehouse

    2) Chorus - helping us to palletise the out of season stock

    3) FMG - helping us to palletise the out of season stock

    4) Dobbins Office Furniture - supplying us with office desks and chairs. Plus helping to install the warehouse racking system

    5) Wellington North Rotary - palletise non-perishable stock and toiletries

    6) Wellington Refrigeration - installing our brand new chiller room and freezer room

    We still have a fair bit of equipment to raise funds for like the platform ladders to reach the top of our racking, expandable gate to close when we have the forklift working in the warehouse. The use of a forklift has been donated to us by Hot Chilly who have also paid for our General Manager to get her forklift licence.

    Every donation will help our volunteers to continue the important work that we ar doing assisting approx 10,000 residents in the Greater Wellington region.

    Thanks.

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  • 2016 Summary

      19 January 2017
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    We would like to sincerely thank each and everyone who has donated funds to Kiwi Community Assistance (KCA) to enable our volunteers to collect, store as appropriate and redistribute to families in the Greater Wellington region food, clothing and furniture for free.

    In the year to the 31st December 2016, KCA distributed over 106, 770.35kgs of food to over 21,000 residents in the Greater Wellington region.

    This equates to 305,058 meals (350 grams per meal).

    For the 4th year, KCA donated food to feed 350 people on Xmas Day in the Porirua region.

    During the same period KCA distributed 3,956 banana boxes of schools supplies, clothing, shoes, curtains, linen etc to families requiring a hand up for free.

    2016 was another big year for KCA with its co-founder being a finalist at the Wellingtonian of the Year Award. KCA was also a finalist at the Wellington Airport Community Awards in Lower Hut, Wellington and Porirua region. They were also a finalist at the Porirua Westpac Business Excellence Award in the Enterprise Sustainability Award.

    In early December 2016, our co-founder Tracy Wellington was awarded a 2017 Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Local Hero medal for the work that she has done over the past 5 years since she set up KCA.

    We still need your help with financial assistance. KCA needs $55,000 per annum to operate - rent costs associated with our warehousing, public liability insurance, vehicle insurance and running costs.

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  • June 2016

      18 June 2016
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    We have been very busy at KCA since our last update. In the financial year ending to the 31st March 2016 KCA has achieved the following:-

    8,048 banana box sized food parcels, feeding over 30,000 residents in the Wellington region.

    3,859 banana boxes of clothes and linen

    Other household goods such as: – Car seats (checked by Plunket to ensure safety) – Prams – Cots – Fridge freezers – Beds – Furniture

    * Note we closed for the Christmas period in 2015/2016, the first time we had closed at all since we started.

    Donations have been redistributed through 52 agencies in the 12 month period of 1st April 2015 to 31st March 2016:–

    Arise Church, Beanstalk Kindy, Birthright Wellington, Cannons Creek Community Day, Johnsonville Citizens Advice Bureau, DCM Wellington, Foster Hope Wellington, He Huarahi Tamariki, Holy Family School, Hutt Valley Activity Centre, Johnsonville Foodbank, Linden School, Missionaires of Charity, Natone Park School, Newlands Foodbank, Newlands Kindy, Ora Toa Mauriora, Partners Porirua, Plunket Johnsonville, Plunket Tawa, Plunket Porirua, Porirua Activity Centre, Porirua Budget Service, Porirua City Council, Porirua Gospel Centre, Salvation Army Johnsonville, Salvation Army Kilbirnie, Soup Kitchen Wellington, SPCA Wellington, St Anne’s Pantry Foodbank, St Vincents de Paul Kapi Mana, Strathmore Park Community Centre, Supergrans Lower Hutt, Supergrans Porirua, St Anne’s Pantry Foodbank, St Vincents de Paul Kapi Mana Foodbank, Taeaomanino Trust, Tawa Intermediate School, Te Rauparaha Arena, Te Roopu Awhina, Te Waka Whaiora Trust, Titahi Bay Food is Free, Titahi Bay Intermediate School, various schools in the Titahi Bay and Porirua area, Virtuoso Strings Charitable Trust, Wellington Homeless Women’s Trust, Wellington Night Shelter, Wellington Region ME/CFS Support Group, Wesley Community Action Family Start, Wesley Community Action Waitangirua, Whanau Centre and Work and Income Porirua.

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  • 10,000 banana boxes Distributed in 2015

      8 September 2015
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    Sometime in the month of September 2015, we are going to reach a significant milestone of 10,000 banana boxes of food and non food stock distributed to clients of our partner agencies in the Wellington region for FREE

    We couldn't have done this without the generosity of our donors, sponsors and volunteers who give so generously to us their new and used clothing, shoes and household items.

    We are also privileged to have so many local businesses and locals in our community donating food and contributing to our financial costs.

    We are still 100% run by volunteers but need some financial assistance to cover some of our operational costs such as the rent on our warehouse and fuel for our food rescue vehicle.

    You are also more than welcome to tag your donations to the purchase of food stock. In the winter months and in early spring we don't receive as much fresh produce by rescuing it. We do need to purchase some stock in from our wholesaler sponsors in bulk to make sure we can assist as many people as possible.

    Please help us to give families a helping hand.

    Thank you

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  • Half Yearly Update June 2015

      7 June 2015
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    Its the 7th June and we are nearly 1/2 way through 2015.

    Our financial year end was amended from 31st December 2014 to 31st March 2015 to be aligned with the Inland Revenue.

    According to our stats 54% of your donations for the 15 months to 31st March 2015 were distributed in the Wellington City Council region, 40% is distributed in Porirua, and 6% has been distributed to Hutt and Kapiti Coast.

    During this period we assisted 41 agencies which included schools, foodbanks, budgeting agency clients, soup kitchens, night shelter, etc.

    Here at KCA in 2015 we have already distributed 3,491 banana boxes full of food and 1,298 banana boxes of clothing, shoes, school supplies, toys, linen etc which has assisted over 15,000 people.

    We are now food rescuing from Countdown Tawa (from May 2015) as well as from New World Churton Park (for the past 12 months). Foodstuffs North Island is about to celebrate 2 years of non perishable stock donations to KCA on the 13th June. Over the past 15 months we had 28 companies/organisations donating food to us to distribute.

    Over Anzac weekend we had 10 tons of corn donated to from the Hawkes Bay and we were blessed to have a transport company collect the stock and bring it to our depot in Wellington.

    We continue to grow and still have a waiting list of agencies wanting us to assist their clients. In order for us to do this we need more reliable volunteers who can commit time for a minimum of 3 months.

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  • 2014 Summary

      20 December 2014

    We would like to sincerely thank everyone who has contributed to our charity in the 2014 year. From financial assistance, to donating surplus and cancelled food order stock, purchasing food to keep our food operations cupboards full, to donating clothing, kids toys, Xmas presents, shoes, career wear and furniture and whiteware in new and used condition for us to distribute to the clients of our various charity partners.

    To our sponsors who have supported us in 2014 thanks for being such an important part of our team.

    To our hardworking and dedicated teams of volunteers who give up some of their valuable time to assist us to operate 7 days a week. Their efforts are crucial for us to be able to distribute the stock.

    2014 has enabled us to 4,784 banana boxes full of food and 3,666 banana boxes of clothing, linen, shoes, kids books and toys to a variety of agencies across the Wellington region.

    We still have 11 days left in 2014 and we will be distributing food even on Xmas Day to the free Xmas lunch being held in Porirua.

    2014 has seen our group's team efforts recognised when we received the Tawa Community Awards in Health and Well Being, the Westpac Porirua Business Excellence Award for Not for Profit/Community and in late November the 2015 Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Award Local Hero medal for the community work that our donors, sponsors and volunteers have assisted us to carry out in 2014.

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  • Update for 07/01/2014

      7 January 2014

    In order to continue the non food side of our charity, we need to commence fundraising to pay rent on a warehouse. We will need a space in excess of 300sqm to be able to store all the stock in one place - clothing, shoes, curtains, linen, crockery, beds, lounge suite right through to whiteware. KCA is currently distributing each month on average 246 banana boxes of clothing, footwear, linen, books, toys etc to families in need of a hand up for free. The warehouse space will allow us to house all the stock in the 1 location. Are you able to assist us? Do you know of anyone with an empty warehouse who will allow us to use it for free? Or are you able to run fundraising event(s) to assist us to raise some cash.

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  • KCA Awarded the Health and Well Being Category at the 2013 Wellington Airport Regional Community Awards

      3 November 2013

    On the 31st October 2013 we were privileged to be awarded winners of the Health and Well Being Category at 2013 Wellington Airport Regional Community Awards. We would like to thank our dedicated team of volunteers, donors, sponsors and charity partners who all play a very important part in KCA. Without their support we would not have been able to assist 15,000 residents in the Wellington region over the past 22 months. Thank you.

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  • We need warehouse space

      9 September 2013

    We have recently lost our donated 250m2 warehouse space and need a new location for storing and sorting donated items. While we look for a longer term solution your help is needed to cover storage costs. All donations through this site are currently going to storage costs. If you know of anyone who can help by donating storage space long term, we'd love to hear from you!

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    • 16/09/2013 by Kiwi Community Assistance

      We have recently lost our donated 250m2 warehouse space and need a new location for storing and sorting donated items. While we look for a longer term solution your help is needed to cover storage costs. All donations through this site are currently going to storage costs. If you know of anyone who can help by donating storage space long term, we'd love to hear from you!