The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated an already difficult position for many, with the housing crisis, low benefit levels, and the end of the Covid-19 income relief payments pushing people over the edge into poverty, agencies say.
Salvation Army Community Ministries manager for Dunedin City Corps David McKenzie said the period after lockdown, when people were receiving the Covid funds, demand for services was "remarkably quiet". The same was true of the city’s other social agencies.
However, things changed abruptly in mid-September, as government payments came to an end, rent freezes were lifted, bank mortgage holidays ceased, and the winter energy payment stopped.
St Vincent de Paul centre and pastoral co-ordinator Sarah Strang said there had been a "marked increase" in people seeking food support since the beginning of October when the winter energy payment ended.
"That extra $39-$60 per week extra is such a blessing and it hits them hard when it ends," Ms Strang said.
Housing was the biggest challenge facing people in need in Dunedin and many are finding it virtually impossible to secure a home they could afford, or being stuck in transitional housing in motels or backpackers.
Presbyterian Support Otago Family Works acting social work supervisor Pania Tulia said there were just a handful of Kainga Ora (formerly Housing NZ) houses available in Dunedin, and private rentals were out of many people’s reach.
"People can’t put themselves forward for housing, if they can’t cover the rent, let alone food and bills," Ms Tulia said.
PSO Family Works director Carmen Batchelor said many workers, whose hours had been reduced from 40 to 30 due to Covid-19, were still on reduced hours.
Mr McKenzie said the agencies were working on ways to connect with people who were in work and struggling, but who had never needed to access social support before.
"We want to give these people the message that we are here for everyone in the community, and that it is a good idea to seek support early — don’t wait until you are about to default on your mortgage," he said.
Ms Strang said the St Vincent de Paul food banks had recently experienced such high demand that it had run completely out of supplies and needed to call on Family Works and the Salvation Army for support.
‘The agencies were all looking forward to the results of the city-wide Christmas food and can drive on December 10, and the donated food would help keep the city’s food banks going for several months.
With Christmas just around the corner, the city’s main foodbanks will be preparing hundreds of special food parcels for their clients, including the ingredients for a festive meal and gifts for the children in the household.
The public are invited to contribute to these parcels with donations of funds to the food banks — each agency has a donation link on its website, or by buying gifts. The best type of gifts to buy are "experiences", such as tickets for events, trips, or movies.
