3 Jun 2020

Demand for Salvation Army support up 350pct during lockdown

From Morning Report, 6:17 am on 3 June 2020

More than half of a $30 million emergency welfare fund has been spent in just over a month, and many of those in need are foreigners and migrant workers who can't get home.

With the borders still closed and unemployment skyrocketing, the government is now looking at more support - and at the rate the money is already being soaked up the extra help will be needed in just a matter of weeks.

It's something the Salvation Army's support services are already sharply aware of. The demand for its services increased by 350 percent during April and May as the Covid-19 lockdown hit.

Places like Queenstown, where there's a more transient community and a heavy reliance on tourism, were particularly badly affected.

Captain Gerry Walker told RNZ political reporter Jo Moir their local branch there was flat out helping people regardless of their citizenship or work visa status.