The Catholic Weekly 6 November 2022

CHARITIES ARE preparing to support a record number of families this Christmas as steep rises in the cost of living are set to collide with themost expensive time of year. They say that Sydney fam- ilies who are already strug- gling with rising power and grocery prices, falling wages, housing stress and the effect of three years of the COVID pandemic are worrying about how they’ll provide Christ- mas cheer for their kids when they’re already struggling to provide the basics. Donna Boyd, Vinnie’s Support Centre Coordinator - Redfern, said that in her 14 years of working for the chari- ty she has never seen so many people break down in her of- fice, including a number of double-income families or homeowners who find them- selves needing to ask for sup- port for the first time. “These last three years have seen us helping people who would not normally walk into a Vinnies office, and people started reaching out to us in September worrying about how they’re going to manage costs this Christmas,” she said. “Last Friday at least a dozen people came looking for as- sistance with food and med- ication and every single one mentioned their electricity bills. Everyone’s been impact- ed by the rising cost of living, but the most vulnerable are bearing the brunt of the rising prices. “It’s very real. Four out of five of the people I see don’t have enough food to get by. Parents are skipping meals so they can make sure they can put enough of a meal on the table for their children.” The centre is planning to help as many families as it can this Christmas. As well as the traditional Christmas ham- pers and children’s gifts it pre- pares to distribute each year, Donna and her team have sourced donations from local groups and businesses to help boost its seasonal offerings, including providing gifts for older teenagers and parents. “Mums and dads quite of- ten go without in order to pri- oritise giving to their children. But Christmas is a time of giv- ing and I know it sounds a bit clichéd but no one should go without, especially at Christ- mas,” she said. “We want to really blitz this year and make sure everyone who reaches out to us leaves happy and content in the knowledge that assistance is available to them. At Christmas at least no one should have to struggle with these things.”The recent Federal Budget brought more hard news for families, including a predicted 50 per cent increase in electricity bills (see page 2) and 40 per cent in gas prices predicted over the next two years. Inflation is tipped to reach an eye-watering 7.75 per cent by the year’s end. The budget received mixed responses, with Jesuit Social Services call- ing “extremely disappointing” its lack of a commitment to in- crease the Jobseeker payment and other related income sup- port measures. CONTINUED P3 We’re here to help As families face one of the financially toughest Christmases ever, charities and others get ready to help ¾ Marilyn Rodrigues SUNDAY 6 November, 2022 CatholicWeekly The www.catholicweekly.com.au THE CHURCH. ALL OF IT $2 It’s very real. Four out of five of the people I see don;t have enough food to get by. Parents are skippingmeals ... for kids.” Donna Boyd, Redfern Vinnies A Global Gift is a donation to Caritas Australia made on behalf of another. Buy Global Gifts Saints, martyrs, popes, founders of religious orders: there were saints galore at St Michael’s Belfield and across Sydney as families celebrated the vigil of All Saints Day last Monday night. Last week’s Catholic Weekly story on families reclaiming the meaning of All Hallows’ Eve went global with hundreds of thousands tuning in on social media to catch the Sydney initiative. REPORT P20 PHOTO: ALPHONSUS FOK a festival evening at St Mary’s a festival evening at St Mary’s Fonts Rage Italic Gill Sans MT 8 - 25 DEC PRESENTED BY a festival evening at St Mary’s a festival evening at St Mary’s Fonts Rage Italic Gill Sans MT a festival evening at St Mary’s a festival evening at St Mary’s Fonts Rage Italic Gill Sans MT a festival evening at St Mary’s a festival evening at St Mary’s Fonts Rage Italic Gill Sans MT SEE P12