Avoidable hunger is on the rise in Wagga and the Riverina, according to the city's food mission organisers.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Foodbank's annual hunger report, released this week, provides worrying insight into the state of the nation's hunger, with women now 50 per cent more likely to suffer from ongoing food insecurity than men.
Angela Rumble works on the frontline of the issue in Wagga. Along with the team at Live Better, Ms Rumble boxes food hampers each week for the city's struggling families.
"It ebbs and flows, some weeks we have none at all, other weeks it'll be upwards of 20," Ms Rumble said.
"We see a lot of really sad stories, things that really tug on the heartstrings.
In just the past 12 months, Ms Rumble estimates there has been a 50 per cent increase in clients fitting two specific demographics.
"Single mums and elderly people, they're on the increase," Ms Rumble said.
"There's definitely been an increase in women needing help, and also with younger women."
Anecdotally, Ms Rumble believes it is the increased cost of living and the strain of living in rent stress that is forcing hunger levels to rise.
But she also welcomes the increase, saying she would hope to see the number continue to soar.
"A lot of the stories we hear are about bills, massive bills," Ms Rumble said.
"During school holidays we have a lot more, when energy bills come in, during the wintertime, we see a lot more.
"The biggest thing for us is to make sure people know there are services available to help them.
"We do hear that there are so many going without just because they don't know there's anyone out there who can help."
Related:
On average, the centre receives up to 10 calls for help each week, but that is just the tip of a very large iceberg.
"There would be hundreds that would still need help, especially when you look at outlying towns," she said.
"Junee, Coolamon, Ganmain, we speak to people from all over but we have no way of delivering cold food, and they [often] have no transport to us.
"There need to be more outreach points for Foodbank, there's just not enough in rural Australia."
By Tuesday this week, the team had already fielded three emergency calls from people who have been struggling for a prolonged time.
"They'll usually come to us for a few months at a time until they're back on their feet," Ms Rumble said.
"It's stability to know there's food every week."
Food and supplies are dispatched nationally from Foodbank's reserves and delivered to the Peter Street offices each week.
To cover the cost of each box, the Live Better team asks for $25 in exchange for the hampers, but in her four years with the company, Ms Rumble has noticed the donation has a secondary purpose in preserving the client's dignity.
"Sometimes people can't afford the $25, but we've found it works better when they're able to give a donation for it," Ms Rumble said.
"It makes them feel as though it's not a handout, it's something they're contributing to."