Salvation Army Urges Government to Boost Food Aid Amid Rising Poverty

The **Salvation Army** has issued a stark warning regarding the growing food insecurity faced by families in **Aotearoa**, calling on the government to urgently increase food aid. Their latest report, titled **State of the Nation**, highlights alarming trends, including rising child poverty, increasing unemployment, and escalating family violence, all exacerbated by persistent cost of living pressures.

According to the report, last year, approximately **156,000 children** were living in hardship, a situation that **Dr. Bonnie Robinson**, director of the Salvation Army’s social policy and parliamentary unit, describes as worsening. “Families are coming in, and some of those families have jobs, sometimes several jobs … it’s just not enough,” she stated. She noted that many families are just one unexpected expense away from an inability to provide for themselves.

The report’s co-author, **Paul Barber**, emphasized that the increase in food insecurity coincides with stricter access to government support. Food grant limits have remained unchanged since **2008**, which he argues contributes to the challenges families face. “And you wonder why people aren’t managing to get by,” Barber remarked.

In response, **Steph Voight**, acting client service delivery general manager for the **Ministry of Social Development (MSD)**, stated that the “overwhelming majority” of food grant applications are approved. However, she clarified that the maximum amount available for food grants is **$200** over a **26-week** period, unless exceptional circumstances are determined. Voight noted that any alterations to food grant limits would require legislative changes.

**Louise Upston**, the Social Development Minister, asserted that the government is focused on reducing inflation, easing interest rates, and cutting taxes. She highlighted that **$15 million** of government funding was allocated in **Budget 2025** to support community food providers as the economy continues to recover. Upston also mentioned other initiatives supported by MSD, including the **Kickstart Breakfast** program and Special Needs Grants for food, but did not provide details on potential further funding ahead of this year’s budget.

The **Green Party** has condemned the current state of child poverty, with co-leader **Marama Davidson** calling it “scandalous” and “completely unacceptable.” **Ricardo Menéndez March**, the party’s social development spokesperson, pointed out that many individuals rely on food hardship grants as a last resort. “People wouldn’t be calling or walking into a Work and Income office effectively begging for food if they didn’t need to,” he stated. He criticized the current limits, arguing that they often result in families being turned away when they are most in need.

The report also underscores the ongoing challenges faced by **Māori** and **Pacific children**, who experience disproportionately high rates of hardship. **Charm Kataraina Skinner**, a policy analyst for the Salvation Army, noted that many families are grappling with the long-lasting effects of colonisation. “We have children that are starving, and we have whānau that can’t meet their basic necessities,” Skinner said. “Everybody deserves kai on the table.”

In addition, the report indicates that family violence has reached its highest level since **2018**, despite an overall decline in violent crime. Barber indicated that this uptick in violence reflects the increased pressure on families. He suggested that authorities need to collaborate with these families to better understand and address the multiple pressures they are encountering.

The findings of the Salvation Army’s report paint a concerning picture of social wellbeing in Aotearoa, highlighting the urgent need for government intervention to address rising poverty and food insecurity.