National poverty critical

St Vincent de Paul's Hamilton manager, Mike Rolton (pictured), says New Zealand is currently experiencing poverty on a level unknown in modern times.

"Six years ago we gave out 600 food parcels. Last year we did 6,000 parcels. This year we've forecast we'll do 7,000 parcels, so you can see the increase" he says.

Where in the past the public made donations to "Vinnies" Hamilton, that's dwindled as people can no longer afford it, Rolton says.

"We're using more of our own money to buy food. In the past we would have been lucky to spend $20,000 a year. Now we're spending about $100,000 a year on food to put in our parcels."

Doing it tough

One of the Hamilton families depending on Vinnies food parcels has a single mum.

She was left with eight dependent children five years ago after her partner was killed in a car accident.

Today she still has five children aged five to 17 at home.

"I have a budget of $100 ... I buy frozen vegetables, the cheapest meat ... and I try to get a bag of spuds each week which we ration out."

She is on a benefit and after $480 for her two-bedroom rental is gone, the power paid for and her $100 weekly family food budget spent, she's left with next to nothing.

"Tossing up between paying my rent or buying food is pretty much where I'm at" she says.

The Vinnies food parcels are essential - though a last resort.

"I don't see Vinnies every week as I don't want to abuse them. I try to use them every second week when something like the power bill comes in.

Her food parcels generally include canned food, pasta, long-life milk and a pack of mince.

"The ladies at the food bank are awesome. Every now and again I get some muffins. I take them home and it's a treat for my little ones."

Everyone's scraping the barrel

Vinnies Hamilton estimates that while half their food parcels go to beneficiaries, the other half go to people in paid employment. Rolton says Vinnies is seeing a growing number of people dropping from "middle class" to the "working poor".

"We're seeing a lot of workers who you wouldn't expect to be asking for help with food. But we've seen their budgets and they need help.

"A number of people working for government organisations are coming to us ... social workers may need help, working couples are coming in ... they're in tears when we give them parcels."

Children suffer

Child Poverty Action Group states one in eight Kiwi kids are living in material hardship.

This means they can't afford six or more basics including fresh food, heating, doctor's visits, car maintenance and unexpected bills.

Over a fifth of Maori children and a third of Pasifika children live in poverty.

The Group also says half of Kiwi kids in poverty are in households where parents work.

Source

• NewsHub

At St Vincent de Paul (Vinnies) Hamilton, demand for food parcels has increased fourfold since the start of level 4 restrictions, general manager Mike Rolton​ says.

"Normally we'd do 20 family food parcels per day on average but, since lockdown started, that has jumped to 80 parcels."

Food parcels can include staples such as fruit and vegetables, bread, oats and pasta, eggs, canned food, and meat.

While food parcel demand is up, the thrice-weekly community meals Vinnies Hamilton provided before the current lockdown had to be suspended during the Level 4 restrictions.

The rules meant Vinnies couldn't even deliver the meals to the people Rolton calls "the most needy".

"Delta has changed the whole scenario," he comments.

"Last year, we were handing out meals for people to eat but MSD [Ministry of Social Development] have stopped that."

Rolton said he's in constant contact with other community groups to ensure they are aware of each other's needs. The Salvation Army has also experienced an increase in food parcel demand.

"One of the things that's happened since last year's lockdown is the collaboration between the big players. It's really impressive."

Those applying for food parcels are recorded in a database. The system alerts groups to anyone trying to unfairly claim multiple parcels from different providers.

Hamilton mayor Paula Southgate​ says the city is well served by its community groups and the council is exploring ways it can help those in need.

These include providing Claudelands Events Centre to assist groups providing meals to residents - lockdown rules permitting.

During last year's lockdown the events centre was used to provide meals and emergency food meals for families in need.

Southgate says regular briefings ensure councillors have an accurate picture of how the city is coping.

"We haven't determined to give any monetary grants at this point in time, rather we've decided to work alongside some of those community organisations that are well-equipped," she says.

"The social infrastructure in place now is far better than when we went into lockdown last time. We enabled some of that with grants to things like ‘Here to help u' and other organisations to give them the resources they needed to provide food and give people access to help when they need it."

Any significant spending of public money also has to be transparent, she said.

"Council has to be flexible, but at the moment we don't feel we need to jump in with monetary support. If things should change, we will of course consider it."

Source

• Stuff
• Image: Stuff

They have reported that one family, they have helped had not eaten properly for days.

Auckland-based organiser Harpreet Singh said the group had recruited volunteers and planned operations in Auckland, Christchurch, Napier, Whangarei and Hamilton.

Singh said the group, a Sikh Aware initiative which is open to all people, was motivated to help those who are following self-isolation guidance.

The service is open to all who are self-isolating.

That included medical staff and others, regardless of religion or ethnicity.

Those needing food are asked to order their groceries at their local store.

Volunteers will then arrange a pickup.

The goal is to provide same-day delivery if the order is placed before 12 pm.

Singh said volunteers were reimbursed by electronic banking for the groceries but provided free deliveries to the doors of people self-isolating.

One family who was self-isolating after returning from India had not eaten adequately for days, he said.

"They sent us a huge grocery list. They needed all kinds of essentials."

Volunteers at Sikh Aware are adhering to rules about not having physical contact or close contact with people in self-isolation, Singh said.

Singh said the group was busy last Friday and Hindus and Muslim volunteers were also offering help.

Sikh Aware NZ, Whangarei Sikh Society and Deg Tegh Fateh Sikh Society Christchurch were involved.

Harpreet Singh, an IT worker, migrated to Auckland in 2014 with his family.

He founded Sikh Aware in 2018 to educate other New Zealanders about the religion and advocate on behalf of vulnerable Sikh migrant workers.

According to the to latest census data about 41,000 Sikhs now live in New Zealand.

Source

• stuff.co.nz
• facebook
• stuff.co.nz
• Image: stuff.co.nz

That's the amount of various foods no longer wanted on shop shelves and redistributed in September. Continue reading

20 tonnes of unsold produce re-distributed in a month]]> 113020 https://cathnews.co.nz/2013/12/17/long-queues-outside-auckland-city-mission/ Mon, 16 Dec 2013 18:05:26 +0000 http://cathnews.co.nz/?p=53350 The Auckland City Mission began its annual distribution of food parcels and presents last week. City Missioner Diane Robertson said the lines for Christmas parcels first started forming at 4.30am. On Friday, the line stretched from the mission on Hobson Street to St Matthew's Church. Ms Robertson said many people rely on the parcels. Auckland Read more

Invercargill Salvation Army Captain Russell Garbett said the national Red Shield Appeal was launched yesterday and it was hoped people would donate to the cause to help meet the needs for struggling community members.

Continue Reading

The Elim Christian Centre, formerly known as the Equip Church, will deliver food packs to needy families in Whangarei rather than organising a Christmas dinner which it did previously.

That was at a time when the economy was booming.

National statistics suggest the recession may have roughly doubled those numbers since then. Today More than 40,000 children are being fed by charities every week as low-income families struggle to cope with soaring food prices.

Dr McNeill was moved to undertake the study after returning, in 2005, to the suburb of Fairfield in Hamilton where she had spent the first fifteen years of her life. A young man knocked on her door on a Sunday afternoon asking for food.

"I ate my own dinner that night wondering about the nature and prevalence of foodlessness in my community," she said. "What had happened in my old neighbourhood that people were now reduced to door-knocking to meet basic needs?"

Source

• The Waikato Times
• The New Zealand Herald
• Image: Newswire.co.nz