Palmerston North now has several Pātaka Kai/Open Pantries, with two new ones being installed in the last month. Pātaka Kai are community sites for freely donating and accessing food. The ethos behind Pātaka Kai/Open Pantries is one of radical reciprocity and mutual aid. This means people donate to them as they can and take from them when they need kai. Everyone is encouraged to donate to the shelves and anyone can take from them. Just Zilch, Palmy’s free food store, have a philosophy of "take what you need and be mindful of others". This is a good approach to Pātaka kai also. If everyone gives a little and takes a little there will be a lot to share.

As well as building community and increasing food resilience, open pantries can reduce food waste, reducing the waste of resources involved in growing, harvesting, processing and transporting food, and the methane emissions of food rotting in landfills.

The two new Pātaka Kai are at Te Whare o ngā Wāhine Palmerston North Women’s Centre, 53 Waldegrave St and in Highbury at 45 Ronberg St (outside a residential property).

Other Pātaka Kai in the city:

• Memorial Park, Main St
• Here 2 Help Pantry, 590 Pioneer Highway 
• RECAP Sharing Shelf (fresh produce and seedlings only), Ashhurst Library, corner of Cambridge & Bamfield Sts