Food parcels are available to support individuals and whānau in our community who are finding it difficult to make ends meet. They help ease the pressure of everyday living costs, even if just for a little while.

We provide up to four food parcels per person or household, and we offer flexibility so you can choose what goes into each one. The Foodbank, based at the Wānaka Community Hub, is well stocked with a wide range of canned, non-perishable, and fresh food items — including vegetables, milk, bread, and meat.a community and local businesses.

If you’d like to sign up to receive a food parcel, contact our team or pop into the Hub.
Please take note of our Opening hours below.

Opening hours:

TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY & FRIDAY - 11:00am - 3.00pm

TUESDAY LATE: 5:00pm - 6:00pm

Our team can also connect you to further support.

Keeping your home warm and your power connected matters. If heating or energy costs are becoming hard to manage, Community Link may be able to help.

We offer a range of practical support options to help ease pressure on households facing financial stress

Firewood Support

For households who rely on firewood for heating, we may be able to help with the cost of purchasing firewood to support safe, warm homes.

Help with Electricity or Gas Bills

‍If you’re struggling with electricity or gas costs, we may be able to help with some payment support or energy assistance options, depending on your situation.

Whether you’re facing a one‑off setback or longer‑term financial pressure from rising costs, our team can talk things through and help explore your options.

‍ How to Access Support

Getting in touch is simple and confidential:

• Call 03 443 7799 or visit our front desk

• Contact our Wellbeing Connector directly by emailing wellbeing@communitylink.nz or on mobile at 021 085 15998

‍What support looks like

When you reach out, you’ll be supported by our Wellbeing Connectors, who offers compassionate, confidential and personalised support tailored to your situation. This isn’t about having all the answers, it’s about helping you cope, take a breath, and begin to regain balance when things feel overwhelming.

Our Wellbeing Connectors can help you talk things through, look at practical options, and support you to make sense of what’s going on for you and your whānau. Reaching out for help is not a sign of weakness, it’s a smart and courageous step. When you look after yourself, you’re better able to look after the people you love.

If we can’t help directly, we’ll do our best to point you to other services that can.

You don’t need to be in crisis to reach out. If finances are feeling hard to manage, we’re here to talk.

Need help right now?

If your home is cold, your power is at risk of disconnection, or your costs are feeling overwhelming, please reach out as soon as you can.

Call Community Link’s front desk on 03 443 7799
Or contact Sarah or Ana on 021 085 15998

Wānaka is a beautiful place to live, but it’s not always an easy place to live.

Community Link can offer some support in the form of vouchers for those financial necessities. For more information, give us a call or pop in and see us.

• WellSouth Vouchers - to assist families with the costs of visiting their GP and prescription costs. Strictly for patients who are unable to pay, and without the voucher would not visit their GP/Practice Nurse or pharmacy.

• Wastebusters Vouchers - to assist with buying warm clothing and bedding from the Wānaka reuse shop.

• Petrol Vouchers - for one-off fuel costs where no other option is available. (Accessed through our Social Worker).

• Pool Vouchers - entry to the Wanaka Pool and recreation facilities.

This fund has been made possible through the generous support of Central Lakes Trust. We gratefully acknowledge their commitment to supporting the wellbeing of our community and enabling Community Link to provide timely assistance to individuals and whānau experiencing hardship across the Upper Clutha.

This Discretionary Fund is available to assist individuals and whānau experiencing financial hardship or facing unexpected circumstances where other support options may be unavailable or insufficient. Each application is assessed on its individual merits, taking into account the information provided and the available funding.

Please complete the application form HERE

In November 2021, the Upper Clutha’s recently formed Food Security Network launched a series of community pantries, known locally as Community Produce Stands. The intention behind the project was to ensure that people in the community had access to healthy food on a regular basis whilst reducing food waste. They were constructed by the Wānaka Community Workshop with the help of Kahu Youth during their school holiday program.

The pantries have been a huge hit with lots of delicious produce coming and going daily.

They are located across the Upper Clutha:

Wānaka

• Wānaka Community Hub, 34 McDougall Street

• Wānaka Recreation Centre, 41 Sir Tim Wallis Drive

• Wānaka Wastebusters, Ballantyne Road

• Grow Wānaka, Outlet Road

Albert Town

• Sherwin Avenue

Northlake

• Northlake Drive, in front of the Tennis Court.

Hāwea

• Lake Hāwea Community Centre, 28 Myra Street

• Kanuka Corner Early Childhood Centre, Francis Lane

• Sharing Shed, Hāwea Flat

• Camphill Coffee, 546 Camp Hill Road, Hāwea Flat

Luggate

• Hopkins Street

Who can use them?

Absolutely anyone! You can use the stands to share fresh fruit and vegetables, eggs, herbs, jams, preserves, and baked goods. Whether it’s from your garden or the kitchen cupboard, anything you share is one less thing going to landfill – and by taking produce home, you combat food waste.

Community pantries only work if everyone gets involved so leave what you can and take what you need.

The Upper Clutha Food Security Network is a collective of local organisations, individuals, and Council working together to improve food security and resilience across our region. Our shared mission is to make healthy, nutritious kai more accessible to everyone in our community, while also reducing food waste.

Each year, over 100 million kilograms of food go to landfill in Aotearoa New Zealand—around 60% of it still good to eat. At the same time, food insecurity is a growing reality for many.

• Pantry Power - Be Ready Stay Ready

  Part of our vision of making a food secure Upper Clutha, is helping to get people prepared and ready for an emergency, one meal at a time.

• October - Pumpkin Power

  Start growing your Pumpkins now . Read more here

Monthly Recipe

Grab the ingredients, pack them into a bag and stash them away. You’ll have a full meal ready to go for when you need it.

• Coconut Chickpea Curry with Rice

• Tomato Pasta with Tuna

• Creamy Corn and Rice One-Pot

• Tuna & Vege Rice Bowl

• Rice and Beans

• Bean Burritos

• Black Bean Fritters

• Lentil Curry

• Soup and Damper