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THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF MID CANTERBURY
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Salvation Army foodbank manager Judith Lilley and St Vincent de Paul’s Paul Thomas. PHOTO TETSURO MITOMO 021816-TM-0071
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Shelves bare at local foodbanks BY MICHELLE NELSON
MICHELLE.N@THEGUARDIAN.CO.NZ
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Mid Canterbury charities are struggling to keep up with a growing demand for support as pressure builds on needy families. Salvation Army foodbank manager Judith Lilley estimates demand across the board has increased by up to 70 per cent on last year, leaving the service’s shelves bare. St Vincent de Paul spokesperson Paul Thomas is seeing the same pattern. “A couple of weeks ago we handed out 30 food parcels – on an average week it would be 10 to 12,” he said. The two charities work in conjunction with Presbyterian Support Services, Work and Income, the budget advice service and Ashburton Hospital social workers, meeting monthly to ascertain the need in the district – all have noticed the increasing demand for assistance. While it is difficult to pinpoint the cause, a short season at a local meatworks and a lack of off-season employment options, in part driven by the
Want to help? Donations can be left at either charity’s office. Cash donations are also welcomed at the charities’ offices or banked, by calling the charity for account details. Mrs Lilley can be contacted on 027 223-2408 and Mr Thomas on 021 0239-5474
dairy downturn, have contributed to the mounting pressure. Despite the relatively mild winter weather, homes still need heating, leaving vulnerable families struggling to pay power bills. While the charities endeavour to help out where possible, a more practical so-
lution is often to assist with food parcels, enabling people to divert grocery money into bill payments, Mrs Lilley said. Newcomers arriving in search of cheaper rent and employment opportunities have also ramped up demand. However, the reality is there are few jobs during the winter months and rent still eats up a significant portion of a benefit. “In the past month we have had two or three big families with six or more children arrive from the North Island,” Mr Thomas said. But beneficiaries are not the only people in strife; an increasing number of working-poor families are turning to charities for assistance. Both charities are in urgent need of non-perishable food items, particularly dried food. “We need cereals, rice, porridge oats – we never have enough dried food,” Mrs Lilley said. “Muesli bars are also great for the kids’ school lunches – I have people who say their kids are not at school because there’s no lunch food.”
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