On The House is a charitable trust founded in 2017 with three core pillars: reducing food waste, feeding people who need it, and building community through connection and participation. We are a social solution to an environmental issue.

During 2024 we rescued over 240 tonnes of surplus food (equivalent to 536,182 meals and a retail value of approx. $1.7 million) from over 40 regular suppliers such as supermarkets, growers, caterers, food producers and cafes. This prevented emissions equivalent to 724 tonnes of CO2 and saved 153.5 million litres of water from the production cycle.

We then redistributed this rescued food to over 50 charities including 12 foodbanks, and at our own pop-up free stores which were attended by over 12,000 households.

Our Community Food Hub and pop-up free stores provide welcoming spaces that bring the community together through the collection of food by recipients as well as providing volunteering opportunities. During this period, over 120 active volunteers embodying manaakitanga principles contributed more than 8,000 hours in these spaces.

Food Rescue gives dignity to surplus food and those that need it. OTH aligns with the national Mana Kai Framework by supporting Mana o te Whenua (natural energy of the environment), Mana Kai (sustenance from food), Mana o te Tangata (harvesting and fair distribution of food), and Ngā Nuinga (responsibility to share food). OTH also creates benefits aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, including No Poverty, Zero Hunger, and Sustainable Cities and Communities.