Invercargill Salvation Army struggling to meet demand for food parcels

Friday, 9 August 2019

Salvation Army Invercargill community ministries co-ordinator Brenda King is asking for the public to donate more cans to help fill up the organisations shelves to help those in need.

The Invercargill Salvation Army food stocks are in a dire state this year and the organisation is struggling to keep up with the demand.

Since the start of July, 921 food parcels were sent out, a slight rise from 896 parcels the year before.

Invercargill Salvation Army community ministries co-ordinator Brenda King said 'the winter time is hard. People need heavier food and it is quite a drain on our resources.'

While the $20 weekly energy payment, which had been introduced by Work and Income New Zealand for some beneficiaries, had made a positive impact on those who struggled, the demand for food parcels was constant, she said.

* Your generosity can help brighten a family's Christmas

* Wattie's and schools team up for new Cans for Good campaign

* Invercargill schools collect and create for the Salvation Army**

'We've got ourselves so run down [food stocks] to the point where we haven't got any reserves. Anything we're getting we're sending out.'

The number of food parcels given by the organisation for the year starting July 2017 was 1086, compared to 1000 for the same period starting July 2016.

However, King said the drop in parcels this year came down to the installation and power subsidy that was put in place by the Government, which had helped lower power prices slightly.

'Although, we might see a bit of a spike when the subsidy ends in September.'

Food parcels were made up of staple foods like soup, rice, meat, flour, pasta and fruit and vegetables that were donated.

The Watties Cans for Good initiative, which helped fill Salvation Army food banks, had more than 80 schools involved throughout New Zealand.

While James Hargest Junior Campus was the only Invercargill school, Knapdale School, Pukerau School and Longford Intermediate School all took part from the Gore district.

'Unfortunately Southland doesn't seem to get behind the collection,' King said.

'I don't think people are aware how hard it is for some folk, she said.

'The need is constant. People can donate anything edible. Toiletries are also very helpful or we have bins in Countdown where they can drop off food.'

King said there were a lot of people that continued to come in for food parcels but generally 'it was new folk'.

Salvation Army Lieutenant and director of community ministries Gavin Rivett, of Invercargill, said that while some people were more aware about those who struggled, unless someone was directly involved it was easy for it to 'slip under the radar'.

'The [Cans for Good event] is a good way especially in schools to make kids more aware that there is poverty', Rivett said.

The Wattie's Cans for Good event runs over two weeks from August 5 to August 16 and encourages kindergartens and schools nationwide to collect cans for the Salvation Army food banks.