Foodbank stigma concerns agencies

Presbyterian Support social worker Nicole Kettings stands inside the organisation’s foodbank....
Presbyterian Support social worker Nicole Kettings stands inside the organisation’s foodbank. Photo: Greta Yeoman

The stigma around receiving food parcels may be stopping those who need support from accessing foodbank services, food distributors say.

Kaikorai Presbyterian Church minister John Daniel said several of the people the church supported with food parcels - provided by Foodshare - turned up looking ashamed and secretive about receiving help.

While there was a stigma around asking for food, people should not feel ashamed or judged for seeking help, Mr Daniel said.

``Everyone goes through tough times.''

Presbyterian Support social work supervisor Deb Gelling agreed, saying ``emotional barriers'' were stopping people from getting help, including embarrassment or the belief that others were more deserving.

``People think it's easy to pop into a foodbank and get food if they need it, but there are those emotional barriers that stop people from doing that,'' Ms Gelling said.

Presbyterian Support's clients were ``across the board'' and ranged from people using their food money to get their car back up and running after a car accident, to those struggling to cover power bills, school fees or other daily costs.

Salvation Army community ministries manager David McKenzie said some people possibly hesitated seeking help as it was a ``big deal'' for them to come in and ask for a food parcel.

``[There are] a lot of issues with dignity.''

St Vincent de Paul centre and pastoral co-ordinator Sarah Strang said she did not know whether the stigma was stopping people from accessing the centre's foodbank.

``If people come into the foodbank, then they've probably got past that.''

She estimated the foodbank staff would only see about half of all food parcel recipients more than once. ``[Often] it is just to get them through a crisis.''

Clients were a mixture of beneficiaries and working people - with debt a big issue for both.

``Food is the largest variable in people's budget, so that's where everything comes out of.''

The St Vincent de Paul foodbank was busier than at the same time last year - it was making up about 60 food parcels a week - which she thought might be due to an increase in need after the Anglican Family Care (AFC) foodbank closed in July.

Ms Gelling said Presbyterian Support's foodbank was also busy, with volunteers making 100 to 120 food parcels a week, but it had not yet looked at whether that was because of extra pressure since the AFC foodbank closed.

She also thought it was ``winter related'' with higher power bills and the cost of children taking buses to school on cold days, instead of walking, adding to the pressure.

Mr McKenzie said the Salvation Army was delivering about 80 food parcels a week to a ``whole range of people''. The Salvation Army was supplying several previous Anglican Family Care clients with food parcels, so the change had not really affected them, he said.

GRETA.YEOMAN@thestar.co.nz
 

 

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