The Auckland City MIssion, Te Tāpui Atawhai has kicked off its annual winter appeal this week with demand for food assistance the highest it’s ever been.
“[We’ve seen] a significant increase in demand for food,” said Jacqui Dillon, general manager of brand innovation and income at the mission.
“Over the last quarter we’ve seen the highest level of demand in the past four years. We’re appealing [for help] with our ‘Nourish a Little Normal’ winter campaign.”
Cost-of-living increases seem to be the main driver for demand, but recent extreme weather and the drop in temperatures as winter sets in have also played a part.
“The cost-of-living increases post-Covid, floods and high prices of housing – income is not enough to survive,” Dillon said. “Increasingly we’re seeing families come to us that do not have sufficient income to support their whānau.”
Manatuki Helen Robinson said the situation was very worrying.
“The constant and continued increase in the demand for food is deeply, deeply concerning, said Robinson. “And as temperatures drop over the next few months, the mission fully expects to see that heightened demand continue, and very likely increase further.”
Demand for food support has more than doubled since before Covid-19. In 2023, Auckland City Mission experienced its busiest start to the year ever distributing more than 8700 boxes of food in January and February – the equivalent of over 400,000 meals, they say. The mission expects that throughout 2023, demand will be in line with or above the level it has experienced over the past few years.
The mission’s food security manager, Micaela van der Schaaf, notes there are currently a lot more people whose weekly income is simply not enough to meet their basic cost of living, for example, by the time they’ve paid their rent or mortgage and bills they cannot cover the cost of food.
“By the time you’re reaching out to the mission, you have exhausted all other options. If you are on a low income and were previously lucky enough to have any kind of buffer, that’s gone after the events of the past few years so more people are left without the means to meet the basic needs of their family.”
Robinson recognises that a box of food containing household ingredients is not the long-term answer to food insecurity, but families need that short-term support so they can stay healthy and well and keep being part of society.
To change the outcome in the long term, the mission also advocates for people who are on insufficient income and is implementing alternative solutions to increase food sovereignty, with an aim that people will be able to have all the kai they need in years to come, she said.
“We are asking for help to ‘Nourish a Little Normal’ during our winter fundraising appeal, so that we can continue to provide support when it’s needed most,” Robinson said.
Jacqui Dillon highlights that the increase in demand is set against a backdrop of reduced Government support.
“During Covid we had really strong support from Government to deliver quality food,” Dillon said. “We’re now in a situation where the increase in demand is known, the funding is not. We’re asking Aucklanders to get in behind us and donate.
“Thank you, Auckland, we appreciate your support.”
You can donate $3 to the Nourish a Little Normal campaign by texting “winter” to 4499 or go to https://www.aucklandcitymission.org.nz/donate/