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A central Christchurch highway has been blocked in one direction as the growing demand for food packages in the city causes “hectic” traffic scenes.
Cars were lining up on Hereford St for Christchurch City Mission Christmas food packages on Tuesday morning.
The day before, the line of cars caused traffic jams that spanned several blocks.
Christchurch City Missionary Matthew Mark said the organization reached out to the Christchurch City Council to help.
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He created a traffic management plan and has made the street one-way between Fitzgerald Ave and Barbadoes St between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m., which will continue through Thursday.
Joseph Johnson / Stuff
The social impacts of Covid-19 have led to a large increase in requests for food packages.
Mark said the mission was experiencing “three times” last year’s demand for its packages.
“In our first hour yesterday, we saw as many people as we usually see in three days.”
Traffic flowed more calmly after a “hectic” Monday, he said.
The packages are similar to standard food packages, but include some “extra goodies” for Christmas, such as chicken, ham, pavlova, and ice cream.
Joseph Johnson / Stuff
City missionary Matthew Mark of the city mission says Monday was “frenzied” as the demand for food packages caused traffic jams.
By Monday, it had packed 600 packages and created another 360, but donations were still pouring in. It was difficult to determine exactly how many people were requesting packages due to the high volume, he said.
The social impact of Covid-19 was a common denominator for many people who entered, Mark said.
“These are the people who are the most vulnerable to start with who have low or lost income, or may have been doing causal or contract work that no longer exists.”
I expected the demand to keep increasing every day until Christmas.
One recipient, who did not want to be named, said it had been a “difficult year”.
Joseph Johnson / Stuff
Cars circulated more freely on Tuesday thanks to a city council traffic management plan
She had problems at work that affected her mental health, which led to her receiving sickness benefit.
The woman thanked the food package and said that she had at least six grandchildren who kept her happy.
The mission will also hold its annual Christmas luncheon on Friday at the Linwood Rugby Club for which it plans to provide more than 1,200 meals for residents of its emergency shelters.
It works with donations and requires 100 kg of potato salad, 100 kg of coleslaw, 50 kg of green salad, 100 kg of berries, 40 liters of cream, 100 pavlovas, 60 kg of Christmas cake and 1000 muffins.
Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel will bring a Christmas cake and stay to wait tables.
