LOCAL charity organisations, the Salvation Army and the Uniting Church food distribution program, have called for donations of winter woollies and pantry items as the need increases and we dip into the depths of winter.

Hamilton Uniting Church pastoral community worker and program coordinator, Peter Roberts, said it was business as usual for the dedicated group of volunteers, who prepare and distribute 90 to 100 hampers three days a week to singles, couples and families struggling to make ends meet in Hamilton, Dunkeld, Casterton, Coleraine, and surrounds - but that some supplies had proven difficult to get a hold of.

“We’re short of non-perishables,” he said.

“We need tinned items, tins of fruit, baked beans, as well as breakfast cereals, things people can put in the cupboard.”

For The Salvation Army Thrift Shop Hamilton, the return of winter has seen increased demand for winter jackets, long pants and bedding.

Salvos relief manager, Bobby Field, said the store’s $5 bags and 50 per cent off storewide sale had proven popular and provided an opportunity for shoppers to stock up on warm items at an affordable price.

“It is winter, it’s getting cold, I want people to be able to get things that are warm, buy in bulk as they need it,” she said.

“Because, not everyone can afford to buy a brand-new jumper for $30 from Kmart, whereas you might be able to get $30 worth of clothes from here that will serve you just as well for $5.

“For our $5 bag, essentially people can start grabbing things that they want, or come to the counter and grab a bag, they can fill that up and that will be $5 … that’s open to everybody … it’s not limited, so if they want to get 20 of the bags at $5, they can.

Ms Field said volunteers were busily sorting through donated goods to meet the needs of the community.

“Pretty much as soon as it goes out, it goes out (is sold), it doesn’t look like there is a lot, but we’ve already sold heaps of things already this morning, so lots of blankets, lots of pillows are already gone,” she said.

“We do have a lot of regulars that come in, some come in everyday, some come in a couple of times a day.

“Anything that we can do to help people is really what we want to do.”

Over at The Salvation Army’s Kennedy Street church, the combination of COVID-19, the flu season and colder weather has seen a significant increase in the number of locals in need of assistance.

Salvation Army volunteer, Amy Malley, said warm clothing and food were in short supply at the moment.

“Warm clothing, they come in for windcheaters and trackie pants, jumpers and jackets and thick socks,” she said.

“We need warm clothing, bedding, washing powder, because a lot of people coming in can’t afford washing powder, frozen or fresh vegetables, sugar, milk, teabags, coffee, tinned meat, fresh or canned fruit, bottled water, because a lot of people ask for bottled water and we can’t get our hands on it, blankets and pillows.”

The Salvation Army on Kennedy Street only accept brand new items, with any preloved items diverted to the Thrift Shop on Gray Street.

Hamilton Salvation Army community development worker, Mark Thomas, said the amount of people seeking help had increased dramatically over the last year.

That includes around 20 to 25 people in the local area that he was aware of, who were currently sleeping rough.

“I would have probably 20 that are couch surfing,” he said.

“I know of about two or three that are sleeping rough in town, but then there are others that are sleeping in cars in the bush … there are others that are sleeping in tin sheds.

“Sleeping rough is a wide range, so you could probably put 20 to 25 in that category … we’ve put some in the caravan park, but there are a lot that we can’t fit into the caravan park, and some who do not want to go to the caravan park.”