More people are turning to local food banks as the cost-of-living crisis deepens, but donations are dropping as households struggle to make ends meet.
Nelson Community Food Bank is calling on the community to ensure no one goes hungry this Christmas, with shelves looking increasingly empty.
Manager Neville Hadfield says donations have fallen sharply this year as regular donors find their own budgets stretched.
Between 1 April and 31 October, the food bank has helped feed more than 2300 children and another 1200 teens along with close to 5000 adults.
Each week the food service delivers anywhere between 50 and 110 emergency food parcels to people in need, and as the Christmas season approaches, that will only increase.
“We are up between 40 and 50 parcels a month compared with last year,” Neville says.
The team is preparing for its busiest festive season yet, with demand climbing year-on-year.
A recent donation from the Nelson branch of New Zealand Deer Stalkers Association provided temporary relief.
While in Murchison, members helped a landowner reduce semi-feral cattle numbers.
A large cattle beast was brought down, and every piece of the carcass was carried more than 100 metres back to the ute, resulting in a donation of 216kg of mince for the foodbank, but that was soon chewed through.
Neville hopes that this weekend’s Nelson Santa Parade will bring a welcome boost, with organisers encouraging attendees to bring a non-perishable item for collection.
He says, that with a once-a-month limit on food parcels – a necessary restriction to ensure everyone can receive help – some families will be getting their last food parcel for the year next week.
He says donations of ‘treat items’ have also plummeted, and he hopes they will be able to share a little joy this festive season.
“If we compare last Christmas with the year before, we noticed a drop in the ‘nice to haves’, in favour of basic items, and this year is looking the same.
“We are finding more and more that people need that regular monthly support, it’s a hand up not a handout, but people need it more.”
He says it’s not just big families that are needing support, but also single people.
“A lot of people are renting – their rent has gone up, and that money has to come from somewhere.”
He says they have some indications from local schools that they are planning a Christmas drive but encourages people to think outside the box.
Gardeners with excess produce or hunters who process their catch through a butcher could consider donating. Neville says patties, sausages and mince are ideal.
To discuss donation ideas, Neville can be contacted at coordinator@nelsoncommunityfoodbank.org.nz or cash donations can be made at givealittle.co.nz/org/nelsoncommunityfoodbank
