Food for Love Wanaka co-founder Bex Sarginson said the effect of Covid-19 was causing real financial hardship for some families and as a result it had started providing school lunches.
"We are making about two [a day] but there are other children in the community that can benefit from it, and two is still more than we expect in this community and in this day and age."
Ms Sarginson said Food for Love provided meals for a range of people from cancer patients to families with sick children, the elderly and also victims of family harm.
"We feel very privileged that we can help families who are going through domestic violence, particularly when there are children involved.
"If we can help mums on their own and set them up with meals during the week and school lunches that is a big weight off that parent and that is when you see the tears."
Yesterday was the first "big cook-up" to restock their freezers this year.
Food for Love volunteers were also joined by Wanaka CDL Building company employees who cooked and paid for most of the ingredients used in the 200 meals prepared at the Upper Clutha Rugby Clubrooms and kitchen.
"We are fortunate to live in such a supportive community and to have people who want to volunteer their time and effort and want to help others so much," Ms Sarginson said.
"A lot of people just get up every day and go to work and are blind to ... real hardship [that] happens in our town."
Food for Love started in April 2016 and was about to become a registered charity.
Ms Sarginson said they had never turned down anyone requesting food.
