Neighbourhood Centres report ER increase
A NEW community survey commissioned by Beyond Blue has found financial pressures are the number one stressor for people as we head towards the end of the year.
This pressure is definitely being felt in our communities with local neighbourhood centres indicating more and more people are finding it hard to make ends meet as the cost of living and affordable housing crisis intensifies here on the Sunshine Coast.
Madonna Hampson from the Maleny Neighbourhood Centre, said people were feeling the impact more than ever. She said speaking with team members at the centre, volunteers had noticed that community needs have continued to increase. She said, for example more people had been accessing the free pantry and freezer food service at night time. Madonna said she was also seeing an increasing number of people now who hadn’t previously used the pantry before as a necessary way to tide them over until payday.
“Our Emergency Relief (ER) statistics show a shortage of affordable housing; with many people couch surfing, living in their cars, staying with friends or staying in tents/swags at the local showgrounds and parks. Rentals are in demand and the asking price for a modest dwelling is expensive and out of reach for many people in our area,” she said.
Shirley King, who runs the free Landsborough neighbourhood pantry, said the cost of living crisis was affecting everyone. She said people were definitely “doing it tough” and she offered assistance where possible for people in the short term, however, for longer term relief and vouchers, she suggested people contact Morris House.
Ann Husband from Morris House, said she had been involved in the neighbourhood centre for well over 20 years, and the sustained economic and housing pressure was definitely making things progressively worse for people. She said like others, she had seen demand for services increase over the last couple of years.
“So many people are now in such precarious financial positions and no longer have anything left – they are really finding it hard to make ends meet. We are seeing a lot more homeless, sleeping in cars and caravans because they just could no longer afford rent and price rises,” Ann said.
Julie Clark from Glass House Mountains Neighbourhood Centre said for a relatively small centre, volunteers had also noticed an increase of people accessing food and personal items. “Generally people are saying they are finding it very tough right now. The cost of living and particularly the cost of rentals. To hear that people have to choose between paying their rent or putting food on the table – you just can’t quite believe what people are having to go through,” Julie said.
