By Laura Bootham
The Christmas spirit is in short supply at some charities. A Salvation Army shop in Wellington has been robbed, the Christchurch City Mission's almost run out of food parcels and donations all over the country are well down.
Welfare groups say after a tough financial year there's been a huge demand for their services, but they're struggling to cope.
In a year marked by recession and hardship many have little left to give this Christmas, making life even more difficult for charities and those they care for.
Christchurch missioner Michael Gorman says demand for their services is going through the roof.
"Some mornings we have five or six people, sometimes a few more, and suddenly to be confronted by 70 people is a shock," says Mr Gorman.
Unless there is a sudden upsurge in donations, there will be slim pickings at this year's Christmas lunch.
"I'm so anxious, it's sort of been diabolical really," says Mr Gorman. "We'd have expected in previous years to have everything settled, but this year that's not the case - we're still waiting for supplies of food."
With four days to go until Christmas, time is running out. In previous years the shelves would be brimming with food, but this year the cupboard is almost bare.
And they're not alone. The annual K-Mart Wishing Tree Appeal has seen a huge drop in gifts left at its stores, down 50 percent in some areas. Wellington's Kilbirnie Salvation Army shop has suffered, with $900 stolen at the weekend.
Couple Andrew Tracey and Suzanne Marchant say they've always prided themselves on being self-reliant, but the recession has forced them to change their attitude.
"This is the first year we've asked for help and things like that," says Mr Tracey.
But they are looking forward to Christmas lunch at the mission.
Charities hope once the public know about their plight the vulnerable will still have a 'merry' Christmas.
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