Kai West Collective

05/06/2026

🌿 Happy World Environment Day 🌿

Together, we can be the change our environment urgently needs.

Every action counts, and today we celebrate the incredible work of our community partners who go above and beyond every day to care for people and the planet. From rescuing food that would otherwise end up in landfill, to supporting sustainable food practices, growing community gardens, restoring ecosystems, and planting food forests, they are helping create a healthier and more resilient future for all.

There are many opportunities across our communities to reconnect with te taiao, take meaningful action, and be part of positive change. Whether it's reducing waste, growing kai, composting, sharing knowledge, caring for local waterways, or supporting community initiatives, every contribution makes a difference.

We are the environment, and the environment is us. Our wellbeing is deeply connected to the health of the land, water, and ecosystems around us. We need one another.

This World Environment Day, we acknowledge and celebrate the community groups, organisations, volunteers, and changemakers who are leading the way towards a more sustainable future. Thank you for inspiring action and showing what is possible when communities come together.

Shout out to Fair Food, EcoMatters Environment Trust, Kai Te Atatū, Ambrico Neighbourhood Hub, Visionwest Community Trust, Te Piringatahi O Te Maungaarongo Marae, Kaitiaki Creative, The ReCreators, Te Whare Tipu, Triangle Park Community Teaching Garden, Hoani Waititi Marae, Millbrook Edible Garden, MPHS Community Trust, Glenavon Community Hub, WEST Community Hub, Community Waitākere and the many others who are part of our networks of action Te Uru and Resilient Neighbourhoods. 💚 Together, we can create a better future for people, communities, and the planet.

19/05/2026

🌱 Community Catch-Up at Kopukaka Reserve 🌱

Last Friday we enjoyed an awesome Community Catch-Up at Kopukaka Reserve with our community partners. It was great connecting with locals about growing food resilience and highlighting the opportunities already available in our area. Massey and West Harbour now have more than three community gardens, with two food forests being developed, plus a range of kai workshops and events that help build connection, increase access to kai and teach how to grow, cook and make the most of what we have.
If you’re keen to help shape local kai security and strengthen community resilience, join us at our next kai hui.
📅 Date: Wednesday 27 May
⏰ Time: 6:00–8:00pm
📍 North West Anglican Church, 2/24 Moire Road, Massey, Auckland
We’ll be eating and meeting at the same time, so please bring a plate of kai to share if you’re able.
Your presence is important as we align our collective efforts, knowledge and kōrero to create more opportunities for local kai access and to strengthen resilience for our community and environment. We’re looking forward to coming together again. 🌿

AWHI SHED

14/05/2026

Let’s Dream out Loud West Auckland! It’d be great to see more kaupapa like this developing in our communities.
Kai West
Glenavon Community Hub
Hoani Waititi Marae
Visionwest Waitākere
Kai Te Atatū
Te Piringatahi O Te Maungaarongo Marae
MPHS Community Trust

The Marion Barry Market and Cafe offers a full-service grocery store in Washington, D.C.’s Ward 8—a traditionally underserved neighborhood in the nation's ca...

13/05/2026

At Kai West Collective, we love supporting community-led workshops that bring people together to share practical food skills, celebrate seasonal produce, and strengthen local resilience.

A big mihi to our partners at Te Toi Uku - Crown Lynn & Clayworks Museum and Ambrico Neighbourhood Hub for organising a wonderful feijoa chutney workshop for their local community. Thank you to local resident Jane, who shared her knowledge on how to make feijoa chutney making the most of the abundant season we’ve just had.

This was more than just a cooking workshop, it was a chance to connect, share knowledge, eat together and explore ways to reduce food waste by making the most of harvesting and using local seasonal produce.

These workshops are an important part of building community resilience, helping people develop affordable, practical skills while strengthening relationships and local food networks.

Recipes shared on the day are delicious, low cost and designed to help ingredients go further.

Thanks to everyone who attended and shared their wisdom on the day! Thanks to the Whau Local Board for enabling these opportunities to take place.

Keep an eye out for the upcoming winter pickling workshop 💚



Shout out to Community Waitākere and EcoMatters Environment Trust for their awhi!

07/05/2026

🎉 BIG NEWS: The Glenavon Kai Village Pop-Up is LIVE! 🍎🥦

Starting today, the GlenavonHub community fruit and vege pop-up has officially kicked off! This initiative grew directly from the voices, stories, and dreams shared during our Glenavon Kai Conversations. You spoke about the need for fresh, affordable, and local kai , and together, we’re creating accessible local kai systems right here in Glenavon.
A massive thank you to everyone who joined the kōrero and helped shape this kaupapa. This is community power in action 💚
📍 Glenavon School grounds�🕒 The pop-up has just started and will run fortnightly
👉More details - https://glenavon-fruit-and-vege-pop-up.replit.app

05/05/2026

We had the privilege of attending the Mana Hapori Community of Practice hui at Hoani Waititi Marae, alongside a powerful collective of organisations all committed to strengthening the hauora of our people and te taiao.

What stood out was the shared commitment to working differently, moving away from siloed approaches and towards true collaboration, where mātauranga Māori, community voice, and collective action lead the way.

Across the kōrero, there was a strong focus on:
🌱 Reconnecting with our taiao through growing kai, restoring our environments, and strengthening kaitiakitanga
🧡 Creating space for rangatahi to lead, shape decisions, and access meaningful pathways
🏡 Supporting whānau hauora through accessible, culturally grounded, wrap-around support

For us at Kai West, this aligns deeply with our kaupapa of kai sovereignty and community-led solutions. We see the importance of continuing to build relationships, support local kai initiatives, and uplift the voices of our communities to lead this mahi.

Ngā mihi to everyone who shared their whakaaro and energy. This is how real, lasting change happens, together.

Kai West

30/04/2026

✨ PRE‑ORDER YOUR $16 FRUIT & VEGE PARCEL ✨
Seasonal. Fresh. Affordable.
Community‑led kai for our Glenavon whānau.

Week One parcels are now open for pre‑order. Packed with fresh kai to help top up your pantry staples and keep the week rolling-

What’s in your Week One parcel:
- 5–6 potatoes
- 6–7 mandarins
- 1 broccoli
- 1 cucumber
- 3 kumara
- 1 fancy lettuce
- 2–3 onions
- 1 cauliflower
- 3–4 tomatoes

How to order:
Scan the code, book your $16 parcel, and make your bank transfer.
Yes, we’ll accept cash for
Week One and Week Two.
Come on into the Glenavon Community Hub between 2.30 and 4pm on the
7th of May 2026 to pick up your parcel and enjoy a fresh brewed coffee on us.

Why we’re doing this:
Kai Aroha and the Kai West Collective wanted to support our Glenavon whānau with more than just kai drops.
We wanted to create a regular, reliable, affordable way for families to access fresh produce with dignity and connection.
This pop‑up is one small step toward stronger food security and community-led solutions.

Grab your parcel, share the aroha, and let’s keep building something good together. 🌱💛

A huge thank you to our incredible friend
Visionwest Community Trust - Renee Manga and our amazing whānau and supporters at the
Kai West Collective
Whau Local Board.
Hāpai Hapori Community Matters
Ngā mihi nui RJ & Saskia Vh
Glenavon School