AnglicareSA’s emergency assistance service is calling for financial donations as the cost to feed struggling individuals and families has jumped almost 30 percent in the past year.
Astra Fleetwood, Community Financial Services manager for AnglicareSA, said AnglicareSA, like many not-for-profits, faced rising food costs with more mouths to feed and less financial support from generous South Australians also doing it tough.
Ms Fleetwood said the cost of providing an emergency assistance food bag of the most common staple grocery items, including milk, sugar, and tea, had risen from $52 in 2021 to $66 this month.
The food bags are provided to families and individuals assessed by need across AnglicareSA’s six emergency service sites.
“The cost-of-living crisis that’s causing record rent and mortgage stress, gas and electricity bill increases and petrol price hikes means we are having to help more South Australians with less,” said Ms Fleetwood.
Almost 1200 more South Australians sought emergency assistance from AnglicareSA last year compared to four years ago. Meanwhile 38 percent fewer people donated to AnglicareSA’s last annual Winter Appeal than in 2017.
“The not-for-profit sector has had to dig deeper than ever to maintain services since Covid hit but the added combination of living cost increases and a diminishing donation pool is causing us concern,” Ms Fleetwood said.
“Without donations from the South Australian community, we will have to provide less food or fewer fresh food options at a time when we are seeing more low-income families than ever turn to us for basics.”
The Winter Appeal is an important funding source for AnglicareSA’s emergency assistance service, which supports almost 13,000 South Australians in crisis each year across Adelaide and country SA. Food and material assistance and financial services are provided by the service.
Magdalene Centre volunteer Julia has been working on the frontline for a number of years and says the need for food has never been more urgent.
“It’s heartbreaking,” says Julia.
“The majority of our clients have no permanent housing, and, without this stability, life becomes so much harder – just being able to afford the basics becomes a daily struggle.”
Julia is among a team of dedicated volunteers who work in the city at the Magdalene Centre and helps pack emergency food bags containing a choice of 18 common grocery items including protein, like chicken or beef, cheese and milk, fresh seasonal fruit and vegetables, and staples like tea, coffee, sugar, and milk.
Last year, more than 4200 people, including families with 1150 children, sought emergency assistance from the Magdalene Centre – almost 500 more than four years ago.
“If things continue as they are, we will see more people struggling to get by day to day,” says Julia.
To donate to AnglicareSA’s Winter Appeal, call us on 8305 9200 or Click HERE.