'Out of control' cost-of-living pressures drive demand for food charities

'Out of control' cost-of-living pressures driving demand for food, housing charities in regions In short: A Broken Hill food charity is warning that the need for their service is increasing as cost-of-living and housing pressures worsen. Dave Meadows and his family have been serving barbecue meat dishes to those experiencing homelessness on a road trip to regional areas. What's next? New data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has revealed regional Australians are facing a homelessness crisis at more than three times the rate of those in major cities. Rosslynne Crawford is sleeping under "the peppercorn tree", as she likes to call it. The 38-year-old Barkindji woman and Broken Hill local estimates that she has spent around three years on a waiting list for a house. "I don't want to be a burden to anyone, and I prefer being on my own anyway," Ms Crawford said. She is among those who have turned to the local food charity, Feeding Friends, for not just a warm meal but also support. Every night at Kintore Reserve, the charity serves meals to anyone who needs a helping hand. It has grown in recent years, with local businesses donating food every week. Ms Crawford said the meals were good, but she also appreciated the opportunity for social connection. "Feeding Friends helps a lot, saves me from cooking and [building a] fire," Ms Crawford said. "Also [to] get out and actually speak to people as well. "I like it because it keeps my mind entertained and occupied, really, away from those distractions, what I had in my past." Homelessness on the rise The demand for homelessness services in Broken Hill in far-west New South Wales has been steadily increasing over the past few years. The local St Vincent de Paul Society has seen a 48 per cent jump in requests for assistance since 2022/23. The organisation said more than one in four people seeking assistance were experiencing homelessness or were in temporary accommodation, while more than two in five were facing housing stress. The issue is pronounced throughout regional Australia, with new data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare revealing regional Australians are facing a homelessness crisis at more than three times the rate of those in major cities. Head of Feeding Friends Don Barron said it was a trend he had witnessed firsthand. "[The need] has certainly grown in the way of young families," Mr Barron said. "We have homeless people in Broken Hill who do have children; they still go to school, but they're living in cars. "A lack of housing, money, affordability, the cost of living has just gone out of control at the moment." More people in search of a meal Dave Meadows is not a chef by trade, but for the past three years he has been serving low-cost and slow-cooked barbecue meals to those experiencing homelessness at an annual event in Adelaide. Each year he had seen the number of people turning up grow. "Our numbers in Adelaide are just going up and up," he said. "We've come across people who have had rentals, who had homes, and their rent has gone up to a point where they can't afford to live there. "They can't afford to rent anywhere, and they're sleeping rough." It was this crisis that gave him the idea to take his barbecue event on the road, to share meals with those experiencing hardship across Australia. "I figured if this is what's happening in Adelaide, it must be happening everywhere." With his family in tow, they devised a plan to deliver warm feeds to 18 locations across South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. In each location, the Smoke and Soul project partners with a local charity to coordinate the service and better understand local needs. "Usually, people who are doing it hard only often receive pretty simple food like soup and sandwiches," Mr Meadows said. "That's largely due to the charities … [which] are also quite underfunded. "[But] it's my aim to give people who are sleeping rough, who are doing it hard, a food experience. "People just really appreciate the effort and time that's involved in American-style barbecue." The Meadows family launched a fundraiser to deliver the service and packed up a trailer with smokers and barbecues. It was important that nine-year-old Charlotte and five-year-old Sofia were brought along for the ride and were involved in the project too. "I wanted my girls to understand the importance of helping others," Mr Meadows said. "Especially my eldest, she's really flourished over this whole time, her confidence has gone up, and she gets really excited about helping others." The couple hopes Smoke and Soul also encouraged more community members to volunteer. "We just really wanted to inspire people in their local town to hold up their hand and help out," he said. "Something that we've found is these charities that we are partnered with are always looking for help." After 59 days on the road, the family returned to Adelaide in mid-August after serving around 1,350 meals. The unspent $10,552 they raised will be donated back to the charities they partnered with along the way. "What we're doing is sharing hope and happiness and showing people who are doing it tough out there that there are other people out there who care," Mr Meadows said.