Thank you to everyone who donated to Octacan in 2022.

We received 16,671 cans and $6,223 in cash and vouchers to support the Family Works Foodbank.

We are incredibly grateful to the entire community for all the support we continue to receive for the foodbank, thank you!

Our foodbank welcomes donations Monday - Friday 8.30am - 5pm, at 407 Moray Place, Dunedin. If you would prefer to donate online please visit our donation page


Where: Lower Octagon

When: Thursday 23 June 2022 - 7.30am to 2pm


Kai for Octacan, the spirit of winter giving.

Octacan is Presbyterian Support Otago’s major winter food drive and supports many local people though the colder months. This year we are holding Octacan on the eve of the inaugural Matariki public holiday – the Māori New year, which is the time of year harvest would traditionally have happened.

Kai for Octacan is our ‘harvest’, when we gather and secure food for those in our community who are grappling with the impact of hardship, and find they need the support of our Family Works Foodbank.

We invite you and your community to help us re-stock Dunedin’s busiest food bank by donating cans of food.

Reaching out to the foodbank is often just the start of a someone’s journey with us. Our Family Works team understand everyone has a unique story, and we provide help that is tailored to each individual or family. Our social workers are seeing a growing number of working families seeking help. We help by providing food parcels, social work support, financial mentoring, support to find emergency housing, or by providing winter clothing

Matariki is important as it signifies our connection to food resources and the environments they can be found in. Five of the Matariki stars are connected to areas of our environment where food is harvested. This year we will again be arranging donated cans into the shape of the Matariki cluster, and each star will represent a particular food group.

Getting involved is easy! You can start right now by donating online below or start gathering cans and coins by setting up a collection point and then drop your donations off at the Lower Octagon on the day.

Thank you! 


How your school, kura or workplace can help!

  • Start collecting cans: Encourage everyone to take part - make it fun. 
  • Get the word out: Mention OCTACAN in your newsletters, at your meetings and encourage everyone to participate. For resources, posters, images, certificates, and more information please visit OCTACAN.ORG.NZ.
  • Join the fun: Bring your cans to the Lower Octagon 7.30am – 2pm, June 23.

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