Rotorua Christmas Appeal launches as cost of living sends workers to foodbank

People with jobs and mortgages struggling to feed their families are turning to a Rotorua foodbank, its leader says.

It comes as data shows household living costs up 7.4 per cent on a year ago.

Rotorua Salvation Army foodbank corps officer Hana Seddon said the organisation had always been “an important part of a community response to the needs out there”.

“But what I’ve noticed is that over this last year, it’s become even more important for families that may have never actually approached anybody looking for help or support.” Sometimes they included working people and homeowners.

Her comments come as the Rotorua Daily Post, supported by The Hits Rotorua 97.5FM, launches its annual Christmas Appeal today to collect donations of food and money to help fill the foodbank’s shelves.

The appeal runs until December 23, to help the Salvation Army continue its work through the Christmas period and into 2024.

Seddon said the Christmas appeal is a special opportunity for the whole community to show their support for each other.

“When somebody reaches out for help for the first time or even the 100th time and their community says, ‘Yes, we’re there for you’, how amazing is that?”

According to Statistics New Zealand, the cost of living for the average household rose 7.4 per cent in the year to the end of September.

An increase in interest payments of 27.3 per cent was the biggest contributor, followed by rises in the cost of grocery food (11 per cent), rent (5 per cent), insurance (12.9 per cent) and property rates or related services (9.6 per cent).

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Stats NZ’s most up-to-date Consumers Price Index showed in addition to grocery food, the prices of meat, fish and poultry saw an 8 per cent increase on the previous year.

The index also recorded a 4.6 per cent hike in transport costs and a 5.3 per cent rise in the cost of housing and housing utilities, including energy.

Interest rate rises have put Rotorua household budgets under pressure, while Trade Me rental figures show the median rent in Rotorua rose to $545 in August and the number of available Rotorua rentals listed on Trade Me plummeted by nearly 50 per cent.

Seddon said wherever she went, she found prices increasing.

“When you think of the cost of petrol, the cost of accommodation or mortgages even, all of these things just keep creeping up,” Seddon said.

“Unless you’ve got a massive pay rise or unless you’ve got extra people that are supporting your income, there’s just no more room to move.

“When you add that up over time, every week families are forced to use up their food money in order to pay the bills and take care of their needs.”

Salvation Army Rotorua corps officer Hana Seddon (left) and community ministries manager Darnielle Hoods. Photo / Andrew Warner

Salvation Army Rotorua community ministries manager Darnielle Hoods said donating to the appeal would help the foodbank meet practical needs.

“Food runs out,” Hoods said. “At our foodbank, there are times where we get so many donations and it’s full and then the next day it’s gone. That’s the need.

“We’re in this constant state of in, out, in, out. We can’t help everyone but we try our best.”

But Seddon said the Christmas appeal was an opportunity to bring light to a dark situation.

“Last year, our whole team felt the collective love of this community,” Seddon said.

The Rotorua Daily Post’s 2022 Christmas Appeal raised $76,500 in donations for the foodbank, including cash and food items that were each valued at $2.50. It was the best result since 2017, despite coming as the city’s residents emerged from the Covid-19 pandemic only to face a cost-of-living crisis.

Hana Seddon says the way Rotorua supports the Christmas Appeal is special. Photo / Andrew Warner

“I’ve never seen that in any other part of the country in the 20 years that I’ve worked in the social services or in community work,” Seddon said.

“It’s a unique and special thing about Rotorua.”

Seddon said the Christmas appeal donations to the foodbank “took a huge weight off”.

“When it comes to Christmas, we’re getting inquiries left, right and centre. The phones are ringing. Emails are coming in. People are asking for help and to know that we have that food is amazing.”

Seddon said she and the team would be “grateful” for any gifts to the foodbank and all donations would be put to good use.

“Everyone is so different so there is no one-size-fits-all. We want to make things open so that people can choose what they need, to complement what they may already have or what they’re good at cooking.

“So whatever people want to donate is very welcome here. Scan your cupboards, scan your fridge. We’re just grateful and we’ll put to use anything that gets sent our way.”

Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell. Photo / Andrew Warner

Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell said Christmas was a time for celebration and an opportunity to show care and generosity.

“It has been a tough time financially for many families so contributing to the Rotorua Christmas Appeal is a meaningful way for those who are in a position to do so, to give back.”

Tapsell said the generosity Rotorua showed in last year’s appeal was “heart-warming”.

“Every contribution made to this appeal has a very real impact on a local family and I hope our Rotorua community will show up again this year to help make someone else’s Christmas that little bit brighter.”

Rotorua Daily Post editor Scott Inglis said he and his staff were proud to do their part in support of the Salvation Army foodbank.

“Every year we are inspired by the generosity shown by Rotorua in supporting this appeal,” Inglis said.

“I have no doubt that this year Rotorua will stun us with their support yet again.”

Inglis said every donation, big or small, would make a positive difference.

Maryana Garcia is a regional reporter writing for the Rotorua Daily Post and the Bay of Plenty Times.