Auckland Vinnies donations drop as demand rises

Delphina Soti, the general manager of Vinnies Tāmaki Makaurau, said with many New Zealanders struggling to feed themselves, fewer had the means to donate.

“With this kind of climate, donations are dropping significantly,” Ms Soti said. “We used to get a lot of gifts in kind and bulk products from different businesses, and we reckon that it’s close to about a 40 per cent drop.”

A survey of 3000 people in July and August commissioned by the New Zealand Food Network reported that 31 per cent of respondents said their household experienced food insecurity in the past year, a figure statistically unchanged from a 2025 survey.

In the survey, 14 per cent of respondents said they faced moderate food insecurity (forced to compromise on quality, variety or nutrition) while 17 per cent suffered severe food insecurity (enduring disrupted eating patterns and frequently skipping meals).

Almost half of those experiencing severe food insecurity rated their physical health as poor or fair and 54 per cent of that group rated their mental health as poor or fair. In contrast, food-secure New Zealanders were vastly more likely to describe their mental well-being as good, very good or excellent.

The survey found the burden continued to fall heaviest on single parents, Pacific communities, disabled Kiwis and renters.

Social stigma is an issue for some of the people approaching food banks. Ms Soti said fathers especially found it difficult to ask for help.

“It takes a lot of courage; they have this dream of being able to provide for their families. Males are our protectors and providers, and not being able to do that and being locked out of the system – the shame around it is quite debilitating,” she said.

The New Zealand Food Network’s “Hunger Monitor Report 2026” was launched at Vinnies Tāmaki Makaurau Hub in Onehunga recently.

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One in three households struggling for food, survey finds (By Felix Walton/Radio New Zealand)

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