New South Wales and the ACT will see over half a billion dollars wiped from welfare recipients when the JobSeeker and JobKeeper payments are slashed.
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The payments will be slashed at the end of the month leaving community service organisations in Griffith under pressure.
Tennille Valensisi coordinator of Hampers of Hope told The Area News that after an initial decline at the start of COVID restrictions, there has been an increase of people and families needing assistance.
"After we reopened after being closed due to COVID there was a decline in people coming in," she said.
"But in the last couple of weeks we've seen a big increase in need and we are making about 40 hampers per day."
We've seen that as the pandemic has worn on the number of people needing assistance has risen and we are expecting it to rise even more when the payments are cut down
- Tennille Valensisi
She is concerned that upcoming slashing of welfare payments will put a lot of pressure on community organisations.
"We've seen that as the pandemic has worn on the number of people needing assistance has risen and we are expecting it to rise even more when the payments are cut down," she said.
The Griffith Community Centre provides access to basic necessities and meals for those in need and they are bracing for a spike in demand.
"There has been a constant flow of people needing food and personal hygiene products," acting coordinator Peta Dummett said.
"the rate of people has been increasing and we expect it to keep increasing."
Ms Dummett told The Area News that she is concerned that all of the community organisations around the region will not be able to cope.
"Community centre have a limited budget and without people and businesses helping us out, we won't be able to provide as much support as we can," she said.
The community centre coordinator has noted that people on visitor visas that have no access to welfare at all are being affected even more.
"They are really struggling because they cannot get any welfare support and they can't go home either," she said.
The centre's CareVan has resumed and Ms Dummett said it will be producing 120 meals a week for those seeking assistance.
Contact the centre on 6962 4144 to find out where the CareVan will be located to receive assistance.