‘Cost of survival’: More families struggle to pay bills, put food on table as winter rolls in

As the winter chill continues to bite, locals are having to choose between heating their homes and putting food on the table with a community organisation saying it has seen a significant increase in people reaching out for help.

Community organisation Uniting has seen as 20 per cent increase in the number of residents seeking support from their services as the cost of living continues to rise.

A Lara dad is among a growing number of residents left with “no choice” but to seek support from community organisations to put food on the table as the cost of living continues to soar.

Torrick Ouaida said he felt “worthless” when he walked into support agency Uniting’s Norlane location to ask for help but that he had to provide for his family.

“I wouldn’t have gone (to Uniting) if I didn’t have my wife and my kids,” Mr Ouaida said.

But the 61-year-old is not alone.

Uniting workers assisted 2678 people across Geelong between January and May to access food, petrol vouchers and clothing.

Barwon region team leader of emergency relief Shelley Jonhston said this was a 20 per cent increase on the same time period last year.

She said the number of new clients reaching out for help has grown by 58 per cent.

“The amount of people needing intensive crisis support also increased significantly,” Ms Johnston said.

“Our support services are seeing people we’ve never seen before.”

Mr Ouaida first applied for Centrelink payments in November last year.

He picks up work when he can as a tree pruner and gardener.

When he first asked for help Mr Ouaida was given a bag of non-perishable food including rice, flour and tinned fish and fruit.

“It was a huge help … that basically gave us eight to 10 meals,” he said.

The father of four wanted to sign his children up to play football and cricket this year but was not able to as it was too costly.

“I didn’t have the fuel to get them there and I didn’t have the money to join the club

Instead, he would hike up the You Yangs with his family to keep them active.

To keep his bills down, he uses a wood heater to warm his home and his conscious to choose the most affordable items when going to the supermarket.

He also cut back his family’s phone bills from about $250 to $60 per month.

“We went to the bare minimum, you don’t get internet on our phones now,” he said.

“We pulled everything right back.”

Ms Johnston said people are having to make impossible choices.

“This is not about the cost of living, it’s about the cost of survival,” she said.

“As we head into winter, more people will be sleeping rough, sleeping in their cars, more people will be pushed into homelessness and poverty.”

Uniting are running their annual winter appeal with locals encouraged to give blankets, bedding and clothing.

Donations can be made to its Grovedale or Norlane locations.

Originally published as ‘Cost of survival’: More families struggle to pay bills, put food on table as winter rolls in