Charities are bracing for a surge in demand over the next few weeks as Australians already battling with the cost-of-living crisis struggle to afford the extra expense of Christmas.
"This Christmas is going to be tougher than most," Foodbank CEO Brianna Casey warned.
"Right now, we are seeing cost of living increases colliding with an income crisis and natural disasters."
For parents, there was often an extra sense of guilt attached to not being able to afford everything they wanted for their children at Christmas, she said.
This year, families were seeking help earlier than usual as surging costs met with end-of-year demands on the budget, Casey said.
"What we're seeing this year is a lot more people needing assistance right back into November, whereas we might traditionally see them in December," she said.
Foodbank, which every month helps a million Australians with food relief, had also seen a noticeable shift in the types of people needing assistance, Casey said.
"It is people who've never needed food relief before," she said.
"It is people who generally have a job, they may have a mortgage, and they're not seeing themselves as needing the additional wraparound support services of financial counsellors, or your Salvation Army and so on."
With the cost of groceries going up, the quality of food people could afford was also declining, Casey said.
"We are seeing people who are incredibly grateful for pantry items like rice and pasta and pasta sauce, but what's leading to a really emotional reaction – what's reducing people to tears – is fresh fruit and vegetables.
"It's what they're crying out for."
"We're not talking about the costlier treat fruits, like mangoes and cherries. These are people who are feeling overwhelmed with gratitude for apples and bananas and potatoes.
Major Kylie Collinson, who heads up the Salvation Army Centre in Sydney's Parramatta said she had also noticed fruit, vegetables and frozen meat were in high demand at the charity's 'Market Day', which is held every Wednesday and helps dozens of families.
"Some of these people have work, but due to inflation, interest rate rises and general cost of living increases, are struggling to pay for everyday essential items," she said.
"On top of this we are also receiving a larger volume of calls from people seeking assistance with utility bills."
Inflation has been hovering around a 40-year high this year. Last month saw a slight drop in the consumer price index (CPI), however it was still 6.9 per cent over the year to October, according to monthly Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures.
Meanwhile, a series of aggressive interest rate hikes from the Federal Reserve since April has seen holders of a typical $500,000 mortgage paying almost $840 a month more in interest.
The rate rises have put added upward pressure on rental costs as landlords seek to offset the additional costs.
How you can help
Every dollar donated is two meals created at Foodbank, while a donation of $50 provides 300 meals.
The Salvation Army's Christmas appeal is helping the one in seven families who can't afford basics like food or fuel and are also at risk of homelessness this Christmas.
The Smith Family is collecting funds to assist families with Christmas and back-to-school costs.
