Big drop in donations of blankets
The winter crunch and economic pinch are combining to create stark choices for charities.
“Do I buy food or blankets?” is the question for Chris Fulford from the Hamilton branch of Salvation Army.
His is one of several Hamilton organisations noticing a big drop in blanket donations this winter, and he reckons people just can’t afford to be charitable.
Hamilton Nightshelter - that would have received about 50 blankets in donation by now - has got none, and donations have dropped at St Vincent de Paul’s in Hamilton while demand has gone up.
The Salvation Army’s Fulford says people with extra blankets are selling them on Marketplace rather than donating, for extra cash.
“And there’s definitely a market for it because people also need blankets.
“Everybody's under the pinch, the cost of living is rising, so people aren’t giving as much.
“They are not able to be as generous as they would be, and there's no blame.”
The Sallies are forced to buy winter essential using the budget from the organisation’s food bank service.
“Do I buy food or blankets?” Fulford said. “Do I pay staff or help folk out?”
The Sallies are already supplementing many full-time staff with volunteers to cut costs. It currently has about 63 volunteers.
“I don't think people realise the deprivation levels of what's happening over there.
“We are probably going through one of the most troubled times that I've ever experienced in my entire adult life of 40-something years.”
Vinnies in Hamilton has seen a 20% reduction in donated blankets but a 50% growth in demand.
“There is a real imbalance,” general manager Mike Rolton said.
“And we haven't come up with a solution yet and as these cold days come in, that's when people stick their hands up.
Demand for food parcels experienced the biggest increase he’d seen, he said, and it was from working people. “Overall, last year, we did some 6300 parcels and we are looking at about 7500 this year.”
Hamilton Christian Nightshelter/Te Whare Korowai Kaiwhakahaere matua Joanne Turner said they used to get donated “heaps of blankets” but this year they had none.
It didn’t make sense for her to buy new ones, as they were often chucked away by business owners if left in a sleeping spot during the day. “So it's hard to buy them knowing they're just going to end up being thrown in a dumpster.”
The shelter had been at capacity since the pandemic despite nearly doubling the number of beds. It was turning away about 40 to 60 people every month, and some stood outside shelter every day hoping to get a bed.