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Hamilton's first "social supermarket" is set to open in August amid a surge in working families struggling for the first time to put food on the table.
It follows an in-depth report showing the Waikato has the highest proportion of people in the country suffering from food insecurity - an alarming 40 percent.
In an attempt to address that need, and the shame some whānau feel when asking for a food parcel, social services provider Kirikiriroa Family Services Trust is planning the region's first "social supermarket".
Unlike a traditional food bank, a social supermarket is set up much like a regular supermarket. Customers are allocated a certain number of points, according to their circumstances, and can use those to select the items they need from the shelves.
