Welfare demand increases 25%
Umina Salvation Army community services have seen a 25 per cent increase in Peninsula residents accessing its services over the past 12 months, according to corps officer Major Nellie Moed.
Major Moed said the service was seeing new faces all the time to get help with food, clothing and furniture.
"We are seeing new people all the time, and more and more people in financial difficulty," Major Moed said.
"Since the increase in electricity accounts, we have been seeing a 20 per cent increase in clients needing assistance to pay their bills.
"We are having to ask Energy Australia for more vouchers and we have seen a small increase in homelessness due to high rents and people not affording to pay them.
"We work one day a week and are totally full with around 17 clients per day.
"On October 28, we have given out $900 in electricity vouchers, about $400 in food vouchers, about $200 in clothing vouchers and still we have to turn people away."
Major Moed said now was a more important time than ever to support the Salvation Army in the lead up to Christmas.
To make a donation, visit www.salvos.org.au or call 137 258.
The Umina Salvation Army community service centre is located at 9 Sydney Ave, Umina.
Email, 28 Oct 2009
Nellie Moed, The Salvation Army
Letter, 28 Oct 2009
Gary Masters, The Salvation Army