Queues of people in need are lining up each day in central city for food parcels, reports

Patrice Dougan

More than 300 people a day are visiting the Auckland City Mission in need of food parcels to get them through the Christmas period — with numbers expected to exceed last year’s by 1000.

Families and individuals in need are queuing from 3am, travelling from all over the city to be in line for the Christmas supplies, which also include a gift for each child under 18.

Demand is so high the charity organisation still “desperately needs” donations, city missioner Dame Diane Robertson said.

Hundreds of people were milling about outside the mission building on Hobson St yesterday morning, all waiting for their number to be called. Many had no choice but to bring their whole family with them, and kids sat patiently in the street with their parents as they waited.

Big numbers of people have been coming to the mission each day since early December, Dame Diane said, given to needy families this week would help prevent people being “incredibly miserable over the Christmas period”, she said, as well as relieving the stress and frustration that can lead to domestic violence.

“It’s more than food; it takes down their stress levels, it enables them to relax and perhaps enjoy Christmas a little bit more, and that in turn drops the threshold for violence and difficulties there. It’s more than a can of baked beans, that’s for real.”

The mission “desperately needs people to put their hands in their pockets”, she said.

“It’s a really urgent appeal because we’re probably 30 per cent behind in donations.”

She added: “At this time of the year it’s about monetary donations. And they don’t have to stop on Christmas Day, those donations can continue after Christmas to support the work.”