Kai and Community in Lyall Bay

The vibrant yellow Pātaka kai sits on the fence of 67 Freyberg Street and is a sign of God’s beautiful movement in Lyall Bay.

Keely Bell, from the Lyall Bay Community Church, describes how the Pātaka kai, or storehouse, has quickly become a community pantry where many receive and many give and the ownership has moved to those in our neighbourhood in Lyall Bay.

“It was an initiative born out of a desire to share the produce from our community garden. We also share bread from our friends at the Free Store,” she says.

Now, the Pātaka has become a point of connection, sustenance and care and has provided many with fresh vegetables, surplus food and canned goods.

Keely says, “We’re thrilled that the community has claimed the Pātaka as their own with local friends, neighbours and businesses helping to stock it.”

“Recently, ready-made meals have been offered through the Pātaka,” she says.

“With Omicron around, we had to suspend our weekly community meal. So, we’ve been using a chilli bin as a safe way to provide for those in need with food basics and ready-made meals, lovingly cooked by our church whānau in our community.”

The church is trying to organise an outdoor community freezer.

“This initiative has been a way for our church whānau to serve and an opportunity for those in our neighbourhood to move from consumers to contributors as they too provide kai.

“We, as a church, feel grateful for the opportunity to provide a Pātaka kai that has quickly become our community's pantry, says Keely.

The Pātaka Kai in Lyall Bay