Food banks around the country have empty shelves and no back-up as a wave of need hits New Zealand.
Foodbanks from Auckland to Dunedin are reporting empty shelves and with Christmas looming they are asking for food donations – specifically canned soup, fruit and spreads.
The Auckland City Mission said their food parcel statistics were at a record high.
Gisborne Salvation Army pastor Graham Medland said their demand for food parcels had remained steady but the donation of food to the centre had dropped.
Student demand for financial assistance and foodbank services has soared in Dunedin, with welfare schemes run by student associations at the university and polytechnic being pushed past their financial limits.
Otago University Students’ Association welfare officer Shonelle Eastwood said there had been a 64% increase in student demand for foodbank services compared with 2010.
Financial assistance vouchers for supermarkets had also been sent to students based at the university’s Christchurch and Wellington campuses – the first time these kinds of requests had been made, Miss Eastwood said.
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