The Power of Collaboration
Gizzy Kai Rescue, founded in 2018, has grown exponentially over the last five years, with an estimated three-fold increase in its operations.
- Manager Lauren Beattie attributes the growth to a combination of factors, including the organisation's core list of recipients and partnerships with local food businesses.
- Beattie notes that the organisation has established strong relationships with SuperGrans, House of Breakthrough, Te Hiringa Matua, Māori Women's Welfare League, and Nāti Pepi, ensuring a steady supply of healthy edible food.
Volunteers play a vital role in Gizzy Kai Rescue's operations, with approximately 35 volunteers contributing their time and effort each month.
- Volunteers are responsible for picking up donated food, checking its quality, sorting it, and boxing around 6000kg of kai every month.
- Local food retail businesses, orchards, and packhouses support Gizzy Kai Rescue by donating their surplus food.
- The organisation also acts as a hub for the New Zealand Food Network, facilitating the distribution of large surpluses to communities in need.
A New Initiative: Every Bite
Gizzy Kai Rescue has recently launched the Every Bite programme, a month-long facilitated initiative aimed at reducing household food waste.
“…We serve as the bridge between surplus food and community via our relationships with the community recipient groups we work with,” said Beattie.
The programme was created by the Zero Waste Network, a nationwide group representing community enterprises working towards zero waste, in partnership with the Ministry for the Environment.
Beattie explained that the organisation caught wind of the Every Bite programme and saw its potential to benefit the community, particularly in terms of reducing household food waste.
Pilot Programme Outcomes
The outcomes of the Every Bite programme pilot included:
- Savings of time by having a plan rather than repeated shopping trips
- Savings of money by reducing food waste
- Reducing food waste overall
Beattie hopes to see the community adopt the initiative and become advocates for reducing food waste in their daily lives.
“The stats say it is over $1000 a year that most households waste on food. That could be a trip somewhere, that could be something special for your whānau,” said Beattie.
Collaboration and Community Engagement
Gizzy Kai Rescue has established strong relationships with local community groups, including the Tairāwhiti Environment Centre.
The organisation has also partnered with local food businesses to support their surplus food donations.
Steph Temple, hub co-ordinator for Tairāwhiti Environment Centre, praised the collaboration, stating that it has been a valuable asset in reducing food waste in the community.
“Collaborating on food waste reduction was an obvious choice for TEC. It aligns with our other waste minimisation mahi and demonstrates how partnerships can amplify our impact in the community,” said Temple.
The Role of Volunteers
Gizzy Kai Rescue relies heavily on the dedication and hard work of its volunteers, who contribute approximately 35 hours of their time each month.
Beattie credited the volunteers for their invaluable input, stating that they are the backbone of the organisation.
“I can’t stress enough how much the volunteers and the mahi they do with sorting out the food and looking after our space is a huge part,” said Beattie.
A Legacy of Growth and Collaboration
Gizzy Kai Rescue has experienced significant growth over the years, with an estimated three-fold increase in its operations.
The organisation has navigated challenges such as the Covid pandemic and Cyclone Gabrielle, but has remained committed to its core mission.
Beattie noted that the growth has been the biggest change for her during her time as manager.
“We’ve grown the volume of kai and the volume of recipient groups, that was the intention, but the speed at which it happened was what was unexpected – having good foundations, our operating procedures, all of those things we had to make sure were robust to cope with all that growth,” said Beattie.
Founders' Insights
Michele Rodriguez Ferrere and Alena Swannell, two of Gizzy Kai Rescue's founders, shared their thoughts on the organisation's journey.
“We both had the same thoughts about rescuing kai,” said Swannell.
Rodriguez Ferrere noted that they initially met while working at a community organisation involving food support and realised the potential for food rescue.
“When I came to Gisborne, I started working in the orchards and saw how much food was wasted, so it was in the back of my mind. Also knowing how much was going to the landfill, I thought ‘what a waste, there are people going hungry’,” said Rodriguez Ferrere.
Advice for Reducing Food Waste
Michele Rodriguez Ferrere and Alena Swannell advised individuals who wish to reduce food waste in their homes to join the Every Bite programme.
“Being in the food rescue and the chef food, I thought I was pretty good at not wasting food, and then I did the programme and it was a whole new level,” said Rodriguez Ferrere.
A Growing Movement
Steph Temple, hub co-ordinator for Tairāwhiti Environment Centre, highlighted the importance of collaboration in reducing food waste.
“Collaborating on food waste reduction was an obvious choice for TEC.
