Beneficiaries in Auckland are now being delivered My Food Bag as part of a new Government trial, but not everyone is a fan.
Hundreds of families have been given My Food Bag boxes, with Ministry of Social Development's Viv Rickard saying they were trying to be creative by looking at different ways to support clients. Up to 1000 emergency food bags will be delivered as part of the trial. It comes as more people are struggling to put food on the table, with almost 100,000 New Zealanders a month having to ask WINZ for more to eat. Costing between $200-$300, the emergency food kit is intended to provide breakfast, lunch and dinner for a family for a week. "I would call it nice, it's nice food but no frills," Mr Rickard said. However, recipient Gail Watkins said there was not enough food for her and her daughter to last a week. She said her daughter was gluten-free, so was unable to eat some of the ingredients. Auckland Action Against Poverty's Ricardo Menéndez March said the Government should focus on lifting benefit levels instead of "experimenting with people on the benefit over what they can or cannot eat". National's Louise Upston said there were families that were doing it tough, the Government needed to focus on the family being able to provide their own income and reducing the cost of living. "If they're serious about helping New Zealanders in need, there's way better things they could do." The Ministry say the feedback has mostly been positive, and it is trying to learn from the trial.
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⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️
It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:
👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️
Best way to use leftovers?
I'm sure you've got some excess ham at home or cold roast potatoes.
What are some of your favourite ways to use leftover food from Christmas day? Share below.
Fair play
Whether it’s a playhouse, she shed or teenager’s sleepout, a stencil-painted floor in Resene Clockwork Orange will elevate it from meh to wow. Find out how to create your own with these easy step by step instructions.