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Auckland City Mission is preparing for its annual Christmas operation, but it will not include your usual Christmas Day lunch.
An Auckland City Mission spokeswoman said the Covid-19 pandemic means this Christmas will be different for the Mission and its clients, which include some of Auckland’s most vulnerable.
The spokeswoman said that while the distribution of food packages and gifts to Auckland residents in need will continue, Covid-19 means that the Christmas Day lunch, which is typically attended by more than a thousand people, cannot continue.
“Instead, we will have five lunches in the city, sponsored by ASB and with two of the events supported by Nandos in their restaurants.”
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In 2019, around 1,600 people attended the Mission’s annual festivities in The Cloud at Queen’s Wharf.
David white
Servers at the City Mission luncheon in 2019.
On the menu were 300 kg of gourmet potatoes and ham, 240 kg of roasted kumara and 1,600 chicken thighs, with gelatin and ice cream for dessert.
The spokeswoman said the decision not to hold the big Christmas lunch in the city was due to concerns about community transmission of Covid-19.
“We just couldn’t risk it, especially when a lot of people who come to lunch already have health problems.”
David White / Stuff
About 1600 people attended the 2019 luncheon.
The decision to change the Christmas Day plan had to be made quite early, the spokeswoman said, as it took months to organize.
“This was not a decision we made lightly, we just wanted to keep everyone safe, and at the time we didn’t know what Christmas would bring us.
“However, we want to make sure people are not getting lost, which is why we decided to do several smaller events.
“Our food packages will also include an additional holiday meal for those who cannot come in person.”
In mid-2020, the charity saw a staggering 175 percent increase in demand for food packages.
Before the pandemic, the Auckland City Mission distributed 450 packages per week to families and individuals who might not otherwise be able to put food on the table. During the lockdown, this increased to over 1,200.
City missionary Chris Farrelly said that food insecurity has been a major concern for the Mission for several years, with inadequate income levels being a major factor.
Covid-19 exacerbated these insecurities, he said.
