July 01, 2024
Financial need grows despite funding cut
Demand for budgeting services is on the rise despite deep funding cuts in the sector.
About a third of services had their funding removed or reduced as part of the Government’s savings drive.
Mangere Budgeting Services Trust chief executive Lara Dolan says while her trust secured a new contract from the Ministry for Social Development, usage has gone up 17 percent already this year.
“Last year, we helped 2499 people through our financial capability services. But this year, as at end of May, we help already 2955 families. So this is 500 additional families, which is indicator of people are doing tough,” she says.
Lara Dolan says their social supermarket collaboration with Foodstuffs in Mangere is helping retain the dignity of whānau who use the service