Vinnies in Christchurch responding to higher demand

According to a SVDP Canterbury Area Council June newsletter, the number of welfare requests received in the six months to June increased by 26 per cent for 2026 over the same period a year ago.

The number of requests over that six-month period has gone from just over 3000 in 2020 to more than 5000 this year.

Business and operations manager Polly Fisher said “our welfare needs have increased by 11.9 per cent over the past two months”.

“Vinnies Canterbury have assisted 923 people this month,” she added.

“We have seen a substantial rise in the number of families requiring beds and furniture as they transition into stable, permanent housing. Requests for bedding and warm clothing have also increased dramatically as winter sets in,” Ms Fisher said.

“As winter takes hold, the needs within our community continue to grow. For many families, meeting basic needs such as keeping their homes warm and putting nutritious food on the table becomes increasingly difficult. Rising power costs place added pressure on already stretched household budgets, forcing some to make impossible choices between heating and eating,” she said.

SVDP Canterbury area president Bill Manning expressed his gratitude to two corporate donors: New World Stanmore Road and the Elms Hotel in Papanui.

New World selected Vinnies as its partner for the “Families 2 Families Promotion”, donating 238 grocery bags and $2300 in food credits.

“This will make a huge differing to families in these difficult times,” Mr Manning said.

The Elms Hotel donated bedding to Vinnies, some of which went to shops for sale and some to families who were in need of warm bedding for the winter.

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Facebook (St Vincent de Paul Canterbury)