Nourished for Nil volunteer Sarah Swinburne (right) serves the morning queue for food packages on Thursday. Photo / Warren Buckland
Nourished for Nil volunteer Sarah Swinburne (right) serves the morning queue for food packages on Thursday. Photo / Warren Buckland
Food banks and food rescues in Hawke's Bay are seeing demand increasing up to fourfold what it was before Covid with the cost of living increasing.
They say cost-of-living support in the latest Government Budget will not alleviate increased demand for support.
Paul Barber, senior social policy analyst with theSalvation Army's social policy and parliamentary unit, said the cost-of-living payment in the 2022 Budget was not enough to address the needs of lower-income households.
"That is a temporary payment that will provide some relief to middle and lower-income households, but it is not going to go to the people who are struggling the most, who are relying on welfare benefits or NZ Super.
"We're disappointed that decision was taken, we would have liked to have seen those people included in that."
Salvation Army Napier Corps officer captain Sammy Millar said there was an ongoing high demand for food parcels in the community that the organisation could not always meet because of limited resources.
"When we are unable to assist whānau, we refer them to other food support organisations in our community.
"We are thankful to be able to work alongside other support organisations, such as Napier Foodbank, Nourish for Nil, and Tihei Mauri Ora, to provide support to our community."
She said they were grateful for the donations received, but would not be able to meet demand without further government support.
"We are now having to make plans as to how we will continue to be able to provide support without the additional Covid relief funding."
She said the cost of living, including rentals and petrol prices, were having a significant impact on whānau, leading to the increasing need for support, and fewer donations.
"Many whānau are struggling to feed themselves and so can't afford the additional cost of donating food to the Salvation Army."
Nourished for Nil founder Christina McBeth said there had been a steady increase in demand during the past two months.
"We've noticed different faces coming in larger numbers than the last two years."
She estimated there had been a 15 per cent increase in the number of people served and parcels made at Nourished For Nil over the past year.
Nourished for Nil founder Christina McBeth says there has been a steady increase in demand over the past two months and a 15 per cent increase overall. Photo / Warren Buckland
Typically, winter was quieter than summer, making this trend even more noticeable.
"These last few months definitely equal summer or potentially more.
"There is a lot of anxiety about rising food prices and people still not generally being able to find work or losing their jobs, some people affected by mandates, and it all creates this perfect storm."
She said for the most part they were able to keep up with the demand increasing.
"We are partnered with the Ministry of Social Development so if there is a shortfall, we receive purchased donated goods as well, so that's certainly helping us stay on top and makes sure the parcels we are making are robust and adequate for four to five days."
The Food Basket CHB co-ordinator Melanie King said the cost-of-living payment would provide short-term help.
"It will help the group we are seeing the highest increase of need in the last six months, the group that hasn't been eligible for the winter energy payments and that sort of thing so far.
"However, it is a very short-term fix and it's not going to have long-term impact."
She said demand spiked for the food rescue in the first quarter of this year and had remained higher than in previous years.
She said last year, The Food Basket CHB distributed to about 350 households a week in the Central Hawke's Bay area.
Just before Easter this year, that number doubled to about 700 a week before settling to 500 to 600 a week.
"You go back pre-Covid, we were doing 150 per week."
They were able to keep up with the increasing need by working with the other agencies.
She had observed a consistently changing clientele, and that suggested they were able to help most people stabilise after providing aid.
"I see it as a positive because people are not afraid to ask for help when they need it, but they are not relying on it."
