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Foodbanks are experiencing a doubling in demand at the same time their normal systems for getting and distributing food have been constrained by the level four COVID-19 lockdown.
Chris Farrelly from Auckland City Mission, which now operates a foodbank at Ngā Whare Waatea Marae in partnership with Manukau Urban Māori Authority, says the poor are experiencing greater hardships than others during this period.
He says foodbanks need to maintain the same social distancing as other service providers to keep workers and the public safe from the risk of spreading the coronavirus.
"Normally, instinctively we say and come and help us. But come and help us might be the very wrong thing at the moment. So the message's are going out to the wider food distributors, please helps us. Help us get food in bulk to places like Ngā Whare Waatea and other places.
Chris Farrelly says Auckland City Mission and other NGOs are working closely with government to get homeless and vulnerable-housed people into motels, but it’s a challenge to deliver the sort of wrap around care many of those peole need to deal with mental health or addiction issues.
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