Browse > Home / News / Christmas welfare demand spikes

Christmas welfare demand spikes

Posted on December 8, 2009, 8:08am and updated on December 8, 2009 at 12:51 pm

Welfare agencies are struggling to meet the needs of hundreds of battling South East residents this festive season following income losses for many people in the past year.

In November, Ac.care was forced to refer 49 people to other agencies as appointments were full, while St Vincent de Paul yesterday reported they had only three food hampers left to hand out to needy families before Christmas.

“We handed out 95 food hampers last year, with the last going shortly before Christmas day, but this year we had 130 hampers to give away and we only have three left,” Joan Pickett from St Vincent de Paul said.

The Mount Gambier Foodbank has prepared 650 food hampers for various Limestone Coast welfare agencies this festive season, and according to Foodbank manager John Sandercock, growing needs have led to a 15pc increase in distribution this year.

Both Ac.care and St Vincent de Paul were being approached for assistance from many people who have not asked for help before.

“Whilst there are reports that Australia seems to have weathered the storm of the global financial crisis, we have seen an increase in people who are experiencing difficulties in the face of unemployment, rising prices and/or family breakdown,” Ac.care chief executive Rob Foggo said.

Mr Foggo said the trend was toward working families on only one income seeking assistance, struggling to pay utility bills, mortgages, car payments and groceries.

“We have also seen an increase in requests for help from those receiving the age and disability support pensions and those on Newstart, as a result of the job losses in the region,” he said.

“Families helped by Ac.care are living fortnight to fortnight and just paying the bills; there are no luxuries.

The need for food hampers has also increased.”

Ms Pickett said it took a lot of courage from families to seek assistance from welfare organisations.

“It takes a lot for them to come to us and ask for help, but we go out of our way to make them feel comfortable,” she said.

“I am sure a many people are still falling through the cracks because they are too proud to ask for help, but we help as much as we can.”

However, Ms Pickett said despite huge demands, many donations were still coming in from the community.

“We have lots of toys for young children and other donations, but find there is a huge need for gifts for teenagers, and especially for teenage girls,” she said.

Meanwhile Mount Gambier Salvation Army Major Steve Black said the demand was “off the map” as families struggle with rising utility and supermarket prices.

“There are new people coming into the office asking for help each week,” he said.

The Salvation Army will hand out 50 food hampers to families during the festive season.

Tags: ,  

Comments

One Response to “Christmas welfare demand spikes”

  1. deb on December 9th, 2009 6:32 am 1

    xmas just breaks my spirit,ho ho ho*every year there is no cheer.so many families suffer and yet the Big stores push out the prices just that little bit more and the xmas chook gets a little scrawnier and the gravy a bit runnier.

Posting of new comments is currently disabled.