Cupboards bare at food banks

Presbyterian Support chief executive Gillian Bremner outside the agency's food bank. Photo by...
Presbyterian Support chief executive Gillian Bremner outside the agency's food bank. Photo by Peter McIntosh.
Food banks in Dunedin are empty, with demand back to early 1990s levels.

Until about a year ago, the Presbyterian Service food bank averaged about 350 customers a month.

But the number had risen to 450 a month in the past year, and last month the food bank had about 550 customers.

Casual inquiries were about 10 a day, as well as regulars.

This had led to a shelves being all but empty as rising prices for essentials such as food and power impacted on families.

Presbyterian Support chief executive Gillian Bremner said people were becoming fairly desperate and food was often the only discretionary thing left in the family budget.

"We had a lady who used to budget $20 a week for petrol. That won't get you far these days," she said.

"People pay all the bills and they just have nothing left. What are they going to do then?"

It was not only beneficiaries who were calling on the food bank, as many working people could not make ends meet.

"You just need one thing to fall over - the car breaks down, your child becomes sick - and you're in some trouble."

The level of inquiry was at similar levels to the early 1990s, when the agency's food bank started, in reaction to benefit cuts.

Much of the food for distribution during the year was received during Christmas appeals.

Cash donations were received throughout the year, and about $60,000 was spent annually on the food bank by Presbyterian Support.

Mrs Bremner said 160 people were on the service's books receiving budget advice.

The Dunedin Anglican Family Care food bank reopened last week after four months of building renovations.

Salvation Army social worker Tracey McRodden said demand at its food bank was growing.

Donations had dropped about 30% from a year ago as everyone hit tough times, she said.

St Vincent de Paul society manager Ken Fahey said although the society had the smallest food bank in town, demand had risen to 80 requests a month.

 

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