Committed to Zero Hunger 

On Wednesday 3 July, Social Mission Stream Lead Jono Bell and Territorial Food Security Manager Sonya Cameron represented The Salvation Army at the signing ceremony for formal membership of the Kore Hiakai Zero Hunger Food Collective. 

‘The Salvation Army has been building food support for over 140 years,’ says Jono. ‘But we are also deeply committed to doing better. We’re transitioning from that food parcel, that handout, to more mana-enhancing ways of engaging with people and moving towards a more food-secure Aotearoa New Zealand. But we can’t do it alone. We need each other, and the connections we make through Kore Hiakai—this collective—are vital. We have got to do things differently, and to do that we’ve got to lean into each other.’ 

The inception of Kore Hiakai began with discussions at the Christian Council of Social Services around the rise in the use of foodbanks and increasing food insecurity. In 2019, the collective was formed and a board—including Jono and other Christian social service providers—gave oversight. The governance structure has evolved, with Kai Rawa Trust becoming the container which holds the Kore Hiakai Zero Hunger Collective and its staff team. With the vision of a food-secure Aotearoa New Zealand, addressing the root causes of food-related poverty and collaborating with others is central to the kaupapa (approach). 

The Salvation Army’s Te Kai Mākona food security framework, launched in 2022, aligns strongly with this vision. 

‘We have learnt so much from Kore Hiakai, and that learning informs Te Kai Mākona,’ explains Sonya. ‘Our vision for Te Ope Whakaora—The Salvation Army—is that we are places of support and connection that strengthen food security for whānau and communities.’ 

Te Kai Mākona has three pou (pillars). The first is strengthening how The Salvation Army supports whānau (family) experiencing food hardship. The second is about fostering food empowerment and strengthening food security, while the third seeks to address the root causes of food insecurity. 

‘Kore Hiakai has led the way in terms of the kaupapa around our food security practice,’ says Sonya. ‘They have been instrumental in supporting the foodbank sector—including The Salvation Army—to begin shifting our practices beyond a crisis response, so we can support whānau and communities towards food security.’ 

The signing ceremony was the final part of a two-day hui (gathering) held at Zealandia in Wellington, which Sonya attended along with around 70 others, representing 60 different like-minded organisations from across the country. 

‘The hui was a true wānanga (learning),’ explains Sonya. ‘What really struck me was the collective sense of inviting Kore Hiakai into the space of leadership, and starting to get a sense from everyone of what we need leadership in. Kore Hiakai has done a huge amount of work, and the hui was really powerful.’ 

During the signing ceremony, a number of symbols were presented by the trustees: a three-stranded rope as a symbol of kotahitanga (unity); a net as a symbol of connectedness and the important spaces between members; a shell as a symbol of listening; kawakawa (healing plant) as a symbol of healing; a jar of soil as a symbol of being grounded; and a bowl—the symbol of Kore Hiakai—for kai (food) to be served from, for people to gather around, and for members to give to each other with. 

The signing ceremony ended with the presentation of a small bowl to each organisation, which Jono and Sonya received on behalf of The Salvation Army.