NZ Nutrition Foundation closing after 45 years of helping Kiwis to eat better

The New Zealand Nutrition Foundation will close its doors in April after 45 years of operation due to a lack of funding.

Despite every effort to secure further funds, the board of the NZ Nutrition Foundation has come to the difficult decision to shut down which will also affect its popular Just Cook programme. That will conclude in March unless new funding can be secured, or a new organisation steps up to take over the delivery of the programme.

The NZ Nutrition Foundation has been providing independent evidence-based information, programmes, advocacy, and services to enable New Zealanders to enjoy nutritious foods since 1980.

Board Chair Niki Russell says it is closing at a time when it is needed now more than ever. “It’s particularly gut wrenching to take this action when our work is so vital and in demand. It comes at a time when the most recent NZ Health Survey shows food insecurity is at an all- time high and one in four children live in households where food runs out often or sometimes.

“We are incredibly grateful to our funders and supporters who have helped our programme numbers to grow, but sadly we cannot secure the additional $100,000 per annum that’s needed for the organisation to stay open and moving forward.”

Russell says much of the Foundations’ recent focus has been helping people in vulnerable communities to eat well. That includes delivering a practical Just Cook programme that helps New Zealanders find the motivation and confidence to cook at home. They are hands-on cooking sessions that teach families and older adults how to cook nutritious meals for less. The programme has impacted over 8,000 people since it began in 2017.

The Foundation is now seeking to hand over its online education and programmes to another organisation in the hope they can live on.

“We know the importance and value of our programmes. They genuinely help people to increase their independence around feeding whanau in the long term. It would be wonderful if the programmes could live on even if they can no longer be delivered by the Foundation,” says Russell.

Anyone interested in providing funding or running the Foundation’s Just Cook programme can contact Jane Bollard at CEO@nutritionfoundation.org.nz.