More culturally-appropriate help needed for struggling families, charity says

2:08 pm on 29 January 2022

An Auckland-based charity group says the government needs to provide more culturally-appropriate help for struggling families.

Volunteers with donation box with foodstuffs on grey background - food bank, foodbank

Wellbeing Charitable Trust has been helping families with food parcels during the pandemic (file picture). Photo: 123rf

Wellbeing Charitable Trust provides mental health and family violence support to ethnic groups and has also been helping families with food parcels during the pandemic.

Co-founder Eva Chen said the charity itself does not have direct funding from the government for food parcels, so they often have to refer people to bigger organisations.

She said often families get food they do not normally eat, including Muslims getting non halal food.

Chen said contents for food parcels should be culturally-appropriate.

Organisations should not stigmatise people, by avoiding asking them for detailed personal information, she said.

Chen said need is increasing under the Red traffic light setting and officials should heed the call.

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