Just Zilch – food rescue – free store!
We are New Zealand’s longest running free store.
Our purpose
Together we rescue food, to serve our community and care for our planet
Our vision
- Lead and champion the food rescue conversation nationwide
- Improve food security in our community
- Strive for restorative environmental impact
What we do
More than 671,640 people have directly received food from us since we began in 2011!(updated December 2024).
Our team of more than 100 volunteers is committed to kaitiakitanga – together we look after our resources.
We have removed more than 3,427 tonnes of food from the waste stream.
On average we give away approximately $85,000 worth of food each week.
We support an average 345 people every day, who in turn support a further two people in the home – that’s about 1200-1400 people a day!
We distribute food to about non-government organisations, we currently have about 90 registered community groups, mainly in the Manawatu – Whanganui region by providing them with food on a regular basis which they, in turn, give to the people they support and help.
The only thing we ask of our customers is that they are considerate of others and only take what they need.
Our supporters
What we do is only possible because of the generous support of food producers, logistics companies, retailers and the local hospitality industry.
Support Just Zilch
Interested in assisting our cause? There are three ways we seek support from the community:
- Donate funds – Your contribution to Just Zilch ensures that nobody in our communities goes hungry. Help us provide food to those in need.
- Volunteer – Just a few hours of your time each week at Just Zilch can have a profound impact. Join us in combating food poverty and reducing food waste.
- Donate food – You can support those in need by donating excess food. Not only does this help reduce food waste, but it also lowers your costs and environmental footprint.
Just Zilch Overview (pdf file)