Crisis still biting

By Lia Bichel
THE recent financial crisis has taken its toll on Dandenong residents, and many of them are seeking help from Cornerstone Contact Centre.
The Dandenong safe haven provides people in need with meals and crisis assistance.
From September 2008 to August 2009, there was a 36 percent increase in the number of job seekers receiving Newstart allowance and youth allowance from Dandenong Centrelink, statistics from the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) revealed.
Cornerstone’s Pastor Max Walker said he saw first hand the effects of the economic crisis as the number of people attending free meals at the centre on Wednesdays and Fridays substantially increased.
“The number has risen from about 80 people to more than 100 in the past three months,” he said.
“Many people who have been displaced elsewhere seem to be coming into the district seeking accommodation and assistance to survive in these difficult times.”
Pastor Walker said a hike in petrol prices, food prices and rental costs seemed to be a major factor in the increased number of people attending Cornerstone.
“High rentals in the shared houses, units and boarding houses are limiting the ability of many to put food on the table and therefore a free meal at Cornerstone is used to stretch their limited financial resources,” he said.
Cornerstone has been distributing blankets, clothes and donated bread to people in need and Paster Walker said he anticipated more people would need assistance in the coming months. “Christmas and January are usually peak times due to people seeking to make Christmas reasonable for their kids and to provide for meals, presents and other things,” he said.
“January is when people realise what they have spent and are facing school costs, etc. If they are on medication, as many of the poor are, they use the welfare assistance as a way to make ends meet.”
Pastor Walker said Cornerstone was looking for donations of non-perishable food items.
Financial donations can also be made online at www.cornerstonecentre.com.au.