Working families' Christmas struggle
Struggling families are fuelling a growing demand on Christchurch’s food bank, the city missioner says.
Christchurch City Missioner Matthew Mark said food parcel demand was up more than 25 per cent on last year.
‘‘The majority of those people in that increase have been working families.
‘‘It’s mum and dad both working, on average have just over two kids and they are just struggling to make ends meet. The additional pressure that’s come on with Christmas time is already coming to the fore.’’
Kerry Bensemann has been running 0800 HUNGRY for 16 years. He said the organisation supplied food parcels to 155 churches and organisations, distributing about 11,500 each year.
It could distribute up to 450 parcels in the week before Christmas. Again, it was the ‘‘working poor’’ who needed the support.
‘‘They’re only on a set income and they’ve got all their rent and whatever
"People on the benefit, they can pop along to WINZ and say 'hey, we need this to cover that' ... these people can't and that's where they struggle."
Kerry Bensemann, 0800 HUNGRY organiser
has to be paid off. Then along comes the school uniforms, then comes the camps.
‘‘People on the benefit, they can pop along to WINZ and say ‘hey, we need this to cover that’ ... these people can’t and that’s where they struggle.’’
Mark and Bensemann said items like tinned tomatoes and chickpeas were sought after, despite an Auckland charity banning them.
Mark said receiving too many tins of lentils or tomatoes was ‘‘not a concern’’.
‘‘They’re staples of our diet. You can build so many different things out of it, so no, we’re very happy to receive them.’’
The Christchurch Methodist Mission (CMM)runs the Support a Family initiative for 150 families every Christmas.
Donors provided a family with the necessities for a Christmas dinner and presents for children.
Executive director Jill Hawkey said CMM’s emergency housing came under increased demand during the holiday season.
‘‘It’s often after Christmas that we see the peak of people in crisis because parents have diverted their limited income to try and give their children a special Christmas,’’ she said.
Salvation Army South Island head of welfare services Major Lindsay Andrews said more food parcels were given out in the past three months than the same period last year.
He said the need ‘‘isn’t solely Christmas driven’’.
‘‘It’s a continuing indication that people on low incomes are not coping with the increasing cost of living.’’