A YARRAVILLE charity has warned that a shortfall of donations has caused up to two-million Australians to go hungry in the lead-up to Christmas.
Foodbank Australia research has shown that a quarter of the state’s welfare agencies have turned people away because they have run out of food.
Chief executive John Webster said it was not just homeless people who needed food, with low-income families being the largest group seeking support.
Three national surveys in the past few months confirm the problem has grown at an alarming rate, and nine of every 10 agencies don’t have enough food to meet demand.
Anglicare Victoria says its cupboards are almost bare, swamped by a surge in demand for emergency relief amid a sharp drop in donations of non-perishable food.
Chief executive Paul McDonald says donations are down everywhere. “Usually we have a stockpile of non-perishable food that will see us through the Christmas period and beyond, but some storage facilities are virtually empty.”
He said a surge in water, electricity and housing costs meant emergency relief demand had spiralled.
“There’s been a change in client profile . . . people telling us they never thought they’d need social welfare, but it’s at the stage they can’t feed the family without help.
“We’re worried that unless donations pick up, we may fall short as we approach our busiest time of the year.”
To help the donation shortfall, one loaf of bread will be donated to Foodbank for every loaf of Wonder White or Helga’s purchased until December 18.
“This is potentially about three million loaves, enough to meet the needs of all Foodbank’s charities for a year,” Mr Webster said.
