BY LAUREN KEMP and JESSICA ROUSE
The St Vincent De Paul Society urging the Hunter community to help out their fellow man with donations for their Winter Appeal to help residents struggling with the cost of living in the coming colder months.
The average electricity debt has risen by more than $100 between 2014 and 2015, and the wholesale price is expected to increase by as much as 20 per cent from July.
Last year, Vinnies Winter Appeal distributed more than $4 million worth of assistance to disadvantaged families.
St Vincent De Paul Executive Officer for Maitland and Newcastle Denise Lucas says the community relies on donations especially when disadvantaged families have to make the difficult choice to stay warm.
“Unfortunately most families on a fixed income struggle with electricity bills when they come on a quarterly basis,” and particularly when they use more electricity in winter.
“If we receive donations of clothes or furniture obviously they go into our Vinnies shop and the funds which are generated there go directly towards supporting people in our local community. People in the community can support our Winter Appeal with a donation which certainly goes towards helping people in our community with those extra costs during the winter months,” said Denise Lucas.
