The Tribune

By KEILE CAMPBELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

CHARITIES say demand for help is rising while resources shrink, with one major feeding group reporting a steep drop in its budget since the pandemic.

Lend a Hand Bahamas and the Bahamas Feeding Network said more people are seeking assistance as the cost of living climbs, with donations fail to keep pace. The Bahamas Feeding Network said its monthly budget has fallen from $80,000 to $10,000 since COVID-19, limiting the number of people it can assist.

Executive director Nicolette Fountain-Archer said the strain is evident in the number of people turning to the organisation.

“It has not gotten easier for people,” she said. “If we are going to judge it by the number of people who continue to reach out to us, that tells us right there that things have not gotten any better.”

She said the group now distributes about 950 food parcels a month, down from more than 2,000, and supports more than 100 partner agencies, including churches and food kitchens. Those agencies now receive assistance once every three months instead of monthly.

Ms Fountain-Archer said the organisation relies entirely on donations.

“We fundraise or we beg, in simple terms,” she said. “I think a lot of people don’t realise that we are not funded by government. We have never been funded by government, except during COVID.”

She linked the surge in demand to lingering financial strain from the pandemic, with more people struggling to meet basic needs. At a recent donation press conference, officials said they are seeing fathers in tears seeking help to feed their children.

Meanwhile, Shelagh Pritchard, a founding director of Lend a Hand Bahamas, said rising housing costs are placing families under increasing pressure.

“Of course, with costs rising, it’s putting additional pressure on single-income families, even families that have two incomes,” she said.

She said rents that once averaged around $750 now range between $1,300 and $1,500, making stable housing harder to secure.

Ms Pritchard said the strain is contributing to rising homelessness.

“We’re seeing the level of homelessness is increasing. There’s no doubt about that,” she said.

She said some families are forced into extreme situations.

“We’ve had numerous women who have been living in cars. One was in a car for over a year with four children,” she said.

Demand continues to outstrip available support.

“There’s a greater need. There’s a growing need,” she said. “Are the donations keeping up to pace to help organisations meet the demand? No.”

Ms Pritchard said government assistance programmes are often capped and rotated, limiting their impact as needs grow. The government has said it is addressing cost-of-living pressures through measures such as VAT reductions on essential goods, duty relief, support for electricity bills and expanded social programmes.

However, Ms Pritchard said some policies may not be delivering the intended results.

“You can make a decision that you think is in the best interest of the country, but it isn’t necessarily going to yield the results you want,” she said. “I don’t think, even with the rollout, it’s been timely. I don’t think there’s enough time. It’s sort of being a rush decision.”

She said policy decisions must be guided by stronger research and input from organisations working on the ground.

“What we find is the time to do the research and interview the people who are already in the business, they don’t do that ahead,” she said. “You really have to do your work on the ground and your assessment on the ground.”

Both organisations warned that the gap between rising demand and limited resources is widening, leaving vulnerable Bahamians at risk without sustained support.