Food for Thought: The cost of living crunch is forcing double income families and the elderly to food banks - Angela Calver

THREE KEY FACTS:

• Data from the New Zealand Food Network shows that over a third of their monthly food bank recipients have never needed to seek kai support before.

• More dual-income families are among those now needing food help.

• From July 2014 to March 2023, the price of sugary, processed foods and drinks increased by around 14%, while the price of some fruits and vegetables increased by around 45%, making healthy food less affordable and accessible for many households.

Angela Calver is chief executive of KiwiHarvest - a national food rescue organisation that collects surplus and donated food and distributes it throughout New Zealand to community organisations, providing food support to those in need. There are branches in Auckland, North Shore, Dunedin, Invercargill and Queenstown.

OPINION:

Close your eyes and picture a person who is starving, struggling, and waiting in line for a food parcel from their local food bank. What do they look like? What are they wearing? How did they get into this state in the first place?

Now I’m going to make a presumption – and if I’m wrong I’ll eat my hat – but I have a suspicion that you imagined a lone raggedy person, maybe dressed in dirty slouchy clothes, needing food because they’re unemployed or lazy or something tragic.

What if I told you that the face of food insecurity is changing? Data from the New Zealand Food Network found that on average, over a third of their Food Hubs’ monthly recipients have never needed to seek their support before. At KiwiHarvest, we’re also hearing from our frontline recipient charities that they’re seeing dual-income families coming to them needing kai for their families.

The elderly are among them, especially those living on pensions and in desperate need of additional support. Despite incoming changes to the tax threshold for those living on the benefit, the minor increase is majorly outstripped by inflation.

Those once shielded from these challenges are now navigating an unforgiving landscape where rising costs far outpace stagnant wages. After covering essentials like rent or mortgage payments, utilities, transport, plus unexpected costs, there is often little left for the dinner table.

Since entering the food rescue space, I’ve learned fairly quickly that people have skewed perceptions about food insecurity. Few understand the realities of seeking food support, and the shame and stigma surrounding it (unconscious or not) often prevent people from getting the help they need.

We have a culture steeped in a “she’ll be right” mentality. It takes guts to put your hand up and ask for help feeding your whānau. The misconceptions about food insecurity and food support are widespread, with many jumping to harsh conclusions that it’s a result of poor personal choices, misguided priorities, laziness, or unemployment.

But the fact of the matter is this: People are doing the best they can with what they’ve got. No one chooses to go hungry. Affording three meals a day, let alone high-quality nutritious food is a struggle and a half for far too many Kiwis.

A report from World Vision found that the cost of common foods in Aotearoa (including rice, bananas, chicken, tomatoes, eggs and oil) had increased by 56% despite food prices trending down globally – that’s comparable to the spikes seen in some of the world’s most impoverished countries. And the impact of this bleeds into all facets of life - from education to relationships to health and wellbeing.

The affordability gap between processed foods and healthy produce is widening and falling disproportionately on marginalised communities, making it harder for households to access nutrient-dense and quality foods. Research found that from July 2014 to March 2023, the price of sugary, processed foods and drinks had increased by around 14%. Meanwhile, the price of some fruits and vegetables increased by around 45%. What do you think people under strict budgets will put in their trolleys?

At KiwiHarvest we want to provide a hand-up, not a hand-out. In these difficult times, people just need someone to listen, reassure them and provide them with the support they need so they can get back on their feet – no matter how long that takes. Many of our 220+ nationwide recipient charities provide wraparound support such as financial advice, educational services, and accommodation which helps aid this cause.

Read on the New Zealand Herald