We were honoured to be approached by the Wellington City Mission in late 2020 to partner with them in bringing New Zealand’s first Social Supermarket to life –focused on creating a more dignified shopping experience for the whānau in their community. The social supermarket launched in March 2021 and has helped more than 15,000 whānau in Wellington to access food and grocery products in a mana-enhancing way since.
The social supermarket supports whānau in need of immediate or ongoing assistance with food and grocery support – they understand the challenges of juggling bill payments, housing costs and being able to put food on the table.
Shifting from the traditional food parcel model, the Social Supermarket at Whakamaru community facility, puts shopper experience and choice at its heart. Instead of collecting a pre-selected food parcel, whānau choose their own products from a wide selection of food and essentials in a normal supermarket environment.
The Social Supermarket is open and free to anyone across the Wellington region in need of some extra help. This includes those currently being supported by, or new to The Mission, and those being supported or referred by other social service agencies.
Shoppers are hosted and supported during their shop by the Store Manager, with social workers available to assist. For more information, check out their website, and if you’d like to support the great work they’re doing, you can do so by pressing the button below.