What Recovery? – Sallies’ Community Services Under Pressure.

Record demand for food aid, budget advice emergency housing and other services is pushing The Salvation Army’s resources to their limits.

The Salvation Army starts its annual Red Shield Appeal on Monday facing the dilemma of fewer food donations and a steadily growing number of families seeking help. Social services staff are bracing for further demand in the months ahead as higher winter power bills threaten to tip already precariously balanced budgets of many families.

Commentators say the recession is over, but staff at Salvation Army social service centres paint a picture of overflowing waiting rooms and emotionally-drained or depressed parents – those who have been made redundant or had their hours reduced, and as a last resort are having to ask for help for the first time in their lives.

“Some may say the recession is over but for many of these people their recession has just started,” says Major Wendy Barney, head of social services in the lower North Island

Since the recession officially began, in the first quarter of 2008, to March this year, the number of food parcels distributed by Salvation Army has climbed 66 per cent to a total of 51,527 in the year to March 2010.

The number of families coming to The Salvation Army for food over this period rose 55 per cent to 28,343 families.

Most of these families will be referred to other Salvation Army services to help solve the problems behind their need for food. This is putting strain on the Army’s budgeting, emergency accommodation, counselling and addiction treatment services, where in some cases demand has now outstripped supply.

More than two-thirds of families seeking help are those who are coming to The Salvation Army for the first time. Most of these people lost their jobs in the past 18 months or are from low-income families whose breadwinners have had their overtime cut, which is enough for them to get behind on rent or mortgage payments and struggle to put food on the table.

While growth in demand has eased in the past couple of months, many centres around the country remain under considerable strain and will be hard pressed to cope with additional demand, says Salvation Army Social Programme Secretary Major Campbell Roberts. “We really do need the public’s help at this time.”

The Red Shield Appeal runs from May 3-9. Donations help fund The Salvation Army’s social services.

The appeal’s coordinator, Major Robbie Ross, says The Salvation Army has always viewed the New Zealand public as a vital partner in helping people when they need it the most. “We help Kiwis 52 weeks of the year, and for one week of the year we ask for their support.”

ENDS

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