Salvation Army launches new Taranaki social supermarket

The Salvation Army has launched a new social supermarket serving the Taranaki community, empowering people and their whānau.

The social supermarket provides a shop-like setting where people can select their own groceries. This setting preserves dignity and ensures people receive items that suit their specific needs.

Located at 118 Powderham Street in New Plymouth, the social supermarket is part of Te Āhuru Mōwai. The Te Āhuru Mōwai name translates to a safe place or refuge. It serves as a place not only to support the Taranaki community with food, but as part of a support system helping families set goals, organise finances, learn to cook, grow food, and more.

“It’s not just food, it’s about wellbeing. It raises dignity and self-esteem through choice, and there’s connection with staff,” says Salvation Army Taranaki Community Ministries Manager Amy Denham.

Denham adds social supermarket visitors speak with wellbeing staff before and after as part of their shopping experience, with these staff helping visitors access the support they need. She says because Te Āhuru Mōwai is about wraparound support, people seeking only food support are directed to the New Plymouth Community Foodbank.

The Toi Foundation provided significant financial support for Te Āhuru Mōwai. Denham says The Salvation Army is accepting cash donations for Te Āhuru Mōwai, or by choosing specific items to donate to the social supermarket through online donation platform The Foodbank Project.

The launch of the social supermarket and Te Āhuru Mōwai comes as the deepening cost of living crisis continues to affect Kiwis and their whānau in Taranaki and across the motu. During the last year (July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024), The Salvation Army distributed 83,760 food parcels to 171,649 recipients across the motu. Of the people who received food parcels, 25% were new to The Salvation Army.

More information about Te Āhuru Mōwai, including how to donate, can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/SalvationArmyNP/

More information about The Foodbank Project New Plymouth, including donation info, is available at: https://www.foodbank.org.nz/products/new-plymouth-parcel.

The Salvation Army Territorial Media Officer, 021 945 337, email: media@salvationarmy.org.nz (The Media Officer responds to enquiries from media outlets and journalists. If you would like to donate, are in need of help, or have some other non-media-related enquiry, please call 0800 53 00 00.)