Saturday, 20 August 2022
Meet the JournalistsPremiumAucklandWellingtonCanterbury/South Island
CrimePoliticsHealthEducationEnvironment and ClimateNZ Herald FocusData journalismKāhu, Māori ContentPropertyWeather
Small BusinessOpinionPersonal FinanceEconomyBusiness TravelCapital Markets
Politics
Premium SportRugbyCricketRacingNetballBoxingLeagueFootballSuper RugbyAthleticsBasketballMotorsportTennisCyclingGolfAmerican SportsHockeyUFC
NZH Local FocusThe Northern AdvocateThe Northland AgeThe AucklanderWaikato HeraldBay of Plenty TimesHawke's Bay TodayRotorua Daily PostWhanganui ChronicleStratford PressManawatu GuardianKapiti NewsHorowhenua ChronicleTe Awamutu Courier
Covid-19
Te Rito
Te Rito
OneRoof PropertyCommercial Property
Open JusticeVideoPodcastsTechnologyWorldOpinion
SpyTVMoviesBooksMusicCultureSideswipeCompetitions
Fashion & BeautyFood & DrinkRoyalsRelationshipsWellbeingPets & AnimalsVivaCanvasEat WellCompetitionsRestaurants & Menus
New Zealand TravelAustralia TravelInternational Travel
Our Green FutureRuralOneRoof Property
Career AdviceCorporate News
Driven MotoringPhotos
SudokuCodecrackerCrosswordsWordsearchDaily quizzes
Classifieds
KaitaiaWhangareiDargavilleAucklandThamesTaurangaHamiltonWhakataneRotoruaTokoroaTe KuitiTaumarunuiTaupoGisborneNew PlymouthNapierHastingsDannevirkeWhanganuiPalmerston NorthLevinParaparaumuMastertonWellingtonMotuekaNelsonBlenheimWestportReeftonKaikouraGreymouthHokitikaChristchurchAshburtonTimaruWanakaOamaruQueenstownDunedinGoreInvercargill
NZ HeraldThe Northern AdvocateThe Northland AgeThe AucklanderWaikato HeraldBay Of Plenty TimesRotorua Daily PostHawke's Bay TodayWhanganui ChronicleThe Stratford PressManawatu GuardianKapiti NewsHorowhenua ChronicleTe Awamutu CourierVivaEat WellOneRoofDriven MotoringThe CountryPhoto SalesNZ Herald InsightsWatchMeGrabOneiHeart RadioRestaurant Hub

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.
New Zealand

Rise in abusive calls forces food bank to take action

12 Mar, 2022 09:19 PM2 minutes to read
0800-hungry delivers about 200 food parcels a week in Christchurch. Photo / RNZ

0800-hungry delivers about 200 food parcels a week in Christchurch. Photo / RNZ

RNZ

By RNZ

A Christchurch food bank has had to install a new phone system to record calls after an increase in abuse from clients.

0800-hungry delivers about 200 food parcels a week in Christchurch and has done so for about 20 years.

Warehouse supervisor Nicky Bensemann said there has always been some abuse from people.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

"A lot of it you can let wash over your back, but it has got worse," Bensemann said.

"The world seems to be after instant gratification, and if they ring up on a Friday afternoon they expect to be fed before the weekend. It would be a dream come true if that did happen.

"We always ask for people to ring earlier in the week so we can make sure they are fed before the weekend. When that doesn't happen you start getting called all the names under the sun and it's all your fault that they're starving and it just becomes intolerable."

Bensemann said they have had people deny they were abusive after being banned, and the new phone system will record calls so they can keep proof of what has happened.

She said they deliver food directly to people's homes so cannot risk sending a volunteer to the home of someone who has previously been abusive.

Bensemann said she would ask those calling in to remember the workers are all volunteers and are trying to help.

Related articles

Business

Brian Fallow: Why Christopher Luxon's tax plan misses the mark

10 Mar 06:00 AM
New Zealand

'Every day I think, what am I going to feed the kids?: Cost of living 'squeeze' hits families

11 Mar 04:00 PM
Entertainment

TVNZ's Hadyn Jones: 'My kids are everything to me'

19 Feb 04:00 PM
New Zealand

'Appalling': Health providers waiting months for home isolation funding

16 Feb 04:00 AM

"They don't know what our background is, what our history is, what our home life is like and we still have to put on a happy face for them."

- RNZ

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

Kahu

Kanapu gets $6.5m to grow Māori research workforce

19 Aug 08:08 PM
New ZealandUpdated

Live: 'Unbelievable' wild weather - further flooding as heavy rain hits again overnight

19 Aug 07:25 PM
Premium
New Zealand

'A perfect storm': Kiwifruit review underway as huge number of fruit rejected

19 Aug 07:00 PM
Premium
New Zealand

Afraid of the power bill: Why some over 50s are struggling to make ends meet

19 Aug 06:45 PM
Premium
New Zealand|Politics

Steve Braunias: The secret diary of Gaurav Sharma

19 Aug 06:02 PM

Most Popular

Live: 'Unbelievable' wild weather - further flooding as heavy rain hits again overnight
New ZealandUpdated

Live: 'Unbelievable' wild weather - further flooding as heavy rain hits again overnight

19 Aug 07:25 PM
Wiggles in NZ: Wiggles star reveals life changing hospital encounter
Entertainment

Wiggles in NZ: Wiggles star reveals life changing hospital encounter

19 Aug 06:03 PM
Shamubeel Eaqub on 'stupid' inflation debate and how he'd fix poverty
BusinessUpdated

Shamubeel Eaqub on 'stupid' inflation debate and how he'd fix poverty

19 Aug 06:03 PM

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.
About NZMEHelp & SupportContact UsSubscribe to NZ HeraldHouse Rules
Manage Your Print SubscriptionNZ Herald E-EditionAdvertise with NZMEBook Your AdPrivacy Policy
Terms of UseCompetition Terms & ConditionsSubscriptions Terms & Conditions
© Copyright 2022 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP