Food crunch: the alarming numbers on Hunter households going hungry

Tens of thousands of Hunter households are skipping meals or going days without eating amid the cost of living crunch, according to Foodbank NSW & ACT data.

The food relief group on Thursday handed out free fruit and vegetables in Hamilton to help those struggling to make ends meet in a pop-up co-funded by Joblink Plus.

Joblink Plus community engagement coordinator Katrina Higgins, who was on the ground in Hamilton on Thursday, said there had been strong demand for the produce as well as sausage sandwiches and other service providers on site.

Among those who came for assistance was a couple sleeping rough with a three-month-old child, she said.

Ms Higgins said the nourishment on offer went far beyond food alone.

"She felt seen and heard today, and we gave the baby some extra cuddles," she said.

"That's the thing, we are in a crisis at the moment from the fuel insecurity, to the fuels to the cost of living, it's tough for everyone."

Hamilton's Andrew "MC Kapow" Frew and Rely-Ability support worker Brad "Shickadance" Moses were recording music when Mr Frew flagged he was keen to head to the pop up during their session.

Mr Frew said he got "a bit of everything" from what was on offer, which would fill the pantry and ease his concern about making ends meet.

"It was a good idea for me to come down because I just moved to the area and I'm struggling a bit," Mr Frew, formerly of the south coast, said.

"I didn't have much food in the fridge and freezer."

Mr Moses said the pop-up was welcome relief for those in need.

"It's pretty hard with cost of living these days," he said. "Something like this is a godsend."

Ms Higgins said that while there could be shame associated with reaching out, the pop-up was designed as a non-judgemental space for anyone who came.

"We're not here to report anyone or do any of that. We're just here to feed people today and just connect them with services and have a chat," she said.

"It's definitely what Hamilton has needed at this point."

Foodbank's Hunger Map indicated 37 per cent of households in greater Newcastle had faced food security in the past year, a total of almost 85,000.

More than half of those, or roughly 50,208 families, were at the severe end of the spectrum.

That means they have compromised on nutrition, skipped meals or even gone days without eating.

In the Hunter, Foodbank NSW & ACT has supplied 1.15 million kilograms of produce through community partners in greater Newcastle during the past 12 months. But, despite that large quantity, it met only a small portion of demand, the group said.

Chief executive John Robertson said pop-ups, including the one at Hamilton, were essential support in regional and remote areas.

"We know there are less food relief services outside major population centres, and the demand is high in regional areas," Mr Robertson said.

"More than half of our food is distributed outside metro regions, into far reaching corners of the state and territory, to try to meet this demand.

"When regular expenses like rent and fuel go up, or interest rates increase, food is often one of the first things sacrificed.

He said the face of food insecurity could be difficult to recognise.

"Food insecurity doesn't look one way - it can affect any of us at any time," Mr Robertson said.

"We're hearing from people who've never needed help before: middle-income earners, people with jobs earning $90,000 a year.

"This isn't just about poverty. It's about a system where even working Australians can no longer afford the basics."

The chief executive of Joblink Plus, Emily Roy, said the ravenous demand for help to meet basic needs had led the not-for-profit service to step outside its core duties to help.

"Our purpose is to connect people with education and employment, but when individuals and families across regional communities aren't able to meet basic needs, then hunger becomes a real barrier preventing them from successfully navigating access to those opportunities," Ms Roy said.

Information on donating or sourcing food is available at Food Bank NSW and ACT's website.

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