Both the Oamaru foodbanks and Women’s Refuge have handled "a significantly" higher demand for helping services in North Otago since before Christmas.
Salvation Army captain Jocelyn Smith said the food demand overall had been "much higher" this summer compared with the previous year.
"Typically, this time of the year is a little quieter," she said.
"But this year we have seen an increase in people needing assistance through reduction in hours of work, family pressures over the holidays and grief and loss impacts — including a number of people who have never needed to ask for help before," Capt Smith said.
In December, the Salvation Army foodbank experienced "increased need" and issued 68 food parcels — up from 48 last year, Capt Smith said.
During January the foodbank issued 29 food parcels.
She said the summer school holiday period "added pressure for many families".
"That does impact a lot, not just on the food sustainability but on the sanity levels as well," Capt Smith said.
Ōtepoti Dunedin Whānau Refuge (formerly Women’s Refuge) executive manager Simone Waring said the organisation also had a "significant increase" in demand for resources, including in North Otago, during the holiday period.
"This is often due to partners being on leave, which can heighten tensions at home. Many wāhine reach out for phone support during this time," she said.
Mrs Waring said calls received by the refuge were often lengthy, taking hours at a time, as they involved extensive safety planning, emotional support and referrals for additional resources.
Capt Smith said until this year, the Salvation Army had had funding through a national project from community ministries across the country. That had helped families buy stationery packs or school uniforms.
But funding had been "tightened up".
"This year, we don’t have that funding available. That’s a bit harder on families that may have kind of looked to us in the past for help."
Recent changes in government and funding cuts had also led to some contracts for social workers being terminated, Capt Smith said.
"So we’ve had redundancies last year as well in our own ranks. It’s been tough for lots of people at lots of levels."
At the same time, generous community support for the corps’ "kai pantry" over the holiday period, including a partnership with Reach Church plus food donation from the sustainability team on the recent Netflix series production in Oamaru, and from Woolworths had helped increase its food supply, Capt Smith said.
Oamaru Combined Churches Foodbank manager Sharyn Kingan described the demand this summer as unceasing.
"It’s been quite steady since Christmas. It’s busy ... a steady flow of people coming through.
At the same time community support in aid of the foodbank this summer "is amazing".
"The North Otago area, the Waitaki, is very supportive. The stuff that we get given to us is amazing really," Mrs Kingan said.
St Vincent De Paul shop manager Renee McCully said they also played a part by helping to fill the gap felt by the foodbanks.
The Catholic Confraternity helped out by providing "basic" supplies such as canned food and pasta.
