Wellington City Mission is calling on donors to keep supporting families who are struggling as they recorded a 65% increase in average weekly enquiries for food support. 

By late December, Wellington’s City Mission had seen a 100% increase in enquiries from people seeking food support over the November levels, and that demand did not drop over January 2024.

“We know that life is not a fair contest and we don’t all start from the same starting line. There are many people in our communities that have challenging backgrounds, are still overcoming obstacles, and are trying to make ends meet,” said Wellington City Missioner Rev Murray Edridge.

“That was certainly apparent over the Christmas period, as we saw a considerable increase in food demand which we know is heightened by the increased cost of rent and groceries.”

With that in mind, Wellington City Mission worked hard to make Christmas possible for families while giving them the dignity of choice.

“For those visiting the Social Supermarket, we’ve increased the availability of appointments and we also distributed kai bags to those who were unable to get an appointment.”

Murray said that offering parents the precious moment of choosing something special to give to their children is also an incredibly empowering way of making Christmas possible for many families.

“Our free Mission Toy Store was the busiest it’s ever been since its opening in 2020, with 3087 children experiencing the joy of opening presents at Christmas time.”

Murray Edridge reminded churches and other donors that February is a particularly difficult time, as people recover from the Christmas period and face back-to-school costs,

“The pressure can mount, and we need to continue to be there.”

Wellington City Mission is part of the Anglican Care Network and the NZ Council of Christian Social Services.