The Auckland City Mission is struggling to cope as it faces unprecedented demand for emergency food parcels.
New figures reveal a 40 per cent spike in demand for emergency food boxes over the past year, with more than 23,000 parcels handed out to families in need.
Now is the time of year when the Mission usually begins packing boxes for the Christmas rush, but it's unable to as there is next to nothing left to give.
Missioner, Chris Farrelly, says it’s the greatest demand they’ve had in their 99 year history and puts it down to people's income not being enough to live on day to day.
“There is a large number of working poor which is why we strongly advocate for a living wage, the minimum wage is not sufficient now in the Auckland context of say, a family of three,” he says.
The usual build-up to Christmas has also been affected by demand.
“There is literally nothing to pack at the moment, our warehouse is pretty empty,” says Mr Farrelly.
He says the need surrounds non-perishable foods.
“And remember think of children as well, we are feeding a lot of young children today, the recent Ministry of Health Health Survey has shown one in five children are living in food poverty in New Zealand today."
“Kids are really impacted on this."
He says parents often live in shame.
“It’s really hard to put out your hand and say, ‘can you help me, there’s an emergency that’s happened.”
“They have nothing to budget on, that is the issue,” says Mr Farrelly.
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