Talk to representatives from local community welfare groups and you will learn that many people find it hard to meet their basic food needs.

What is happening on a local level reflects the findings of a national report.

A report from Food Bank shows a quarter of women living in Australia experienced food insecurity in the last 12 months.

The report also showed :

Foodbank is a not-for-profit, non-denominational organisation operating in every state and territory in Australia.

The South Coast Register spoke to several welfare groups who are helping local people get something to eat.

Bomaderry's Salt Ministries is arguably the largest supplier of food in the Shoalhaven region, and including the mobile response van, the group tries to help people make ends meet in many ways.

Salt's Community Pastor, Ash Hudson, said many local residents faced a daily battle to feed their families and themselves.

"Yes people are struggling to put food on the table, especially families and this is a hard time of year for people," she said.

"We are seeing lots of families and also young people struggling to get through each day."

Hunger can be a hidden problem.

"The demand is constant, there are always people struggling and it's just a matter of finding them," Ash said. "However we are definitely busier this time of year."

Look at Salt's near empty food shelves and you see just how much the group needs support.

"We are struggling to keep up with the demand, the need is growing and we see over 500 families a week," Ash said.

"At the moment our cupboards are bare.

"We give out what we get and at the moment it's about finding the right food and at a cheap price as everything we get we give for free.

"Donations are always needed and we need non-perishable items like noodles, baked beans, long-life milk, cereal, water, snacks and whatever people can afford."

People can donate Monday to Friday between 11am-1pm at 5-19 Birriley Street - the old Bomaderry Public School.

Salt does not just run the food van.

"We have a Salt Store which opens three days a week and a community lunch on a Thursday," Ash said.

Salt sees over 500 families a week who are in need of groceries, clothing and social connection.

"We also take our homeless food van out one night a week to provide groceries, hot drinks, blankets, swags and toiletries," Ash added.

One group of people needs help with basic food items more than others, according to the facilitator of All Saints Anglican Church's Community Care service, Jacquie Kinsey.

"I am seeing greater numbers of homeless people and so I am seeing many more people living rough here in Nowra, more so than couch-surfing," she said.

"Yes we still have couch-surfing existing but I am finding lots more people sleeping rough in their cars, in caves or in the showground. They are literally living rough."

People living rough need to eat and they turn to an organisation like All Saints Anglican Church's Community Care service for help.

Mrs Kinsey, who is aware of the concerning Food Bank report, said All Saints provides basic items like bread margarine, milk, cereal and canned food (with pop-tops).

She said before giving someone food they consider things like if the person has something to heat food on.

"We provide people with disposable cutlery so they don't have to eat out of cans and we want to give them a sense of dignity," she said.

People with housing also come to All Saints seeking assistance.

The group offers food support to people so they pay things like their electricity and gas bills.

All Saints helps people in need of all ages and family circumstances, irrespective of ethnicity, religious belief or other distinction.

The group assists single people and people with health issues which is draining on their financial and emotional resources.

In general Mrs Kinsey said demand at the moment was slightly down.

"However I have every vision of the demand increasing in the future," Mrs Kinsey said.

All Saints gets support from other local churches with food supplies and from the community as well.

Members of the public can donate food and they can also donate cash.

"We can guarantee all money goes out to buys things like tea and coffee," she said.

The community care section is moving into a bigger facility next year and then Mrs Kinsey said they would need more volunteers.

Community care operates Wednesday and Friday and is located at 74 Osborne Street, Nowra.

Ivor Davies spoke a little too soon when it came to what the St Vincent de Paul Society (Nowra Conference) did when it came to helping people put food on their table.

He had just talked about how Vinnies prefers to give vouchers so people can buy groceries.

Mr Davies then opened the room where they keep food for emergency/late in the day distribution and was shocked to see the stocks so low.

Like many other charities, Vinnies is trying to do what it can to help people in need.

However, the support does come at a cost.

Vinnies is looking like it will be $10,000 over budget for its food costs.

Mr Davies, who has been a volunteer for 57-years, is happy that Vinnies is not on its own when it comes to helping people get food.

"There is more assistance around in the Shoalhaven area," he said.

"I think it's a show of social conscious and people feel there are others in need and that we should do something to help."

He also likes how each group refers people in need to each other.

"Each of us does something a bit different," he said.

Vinnies gives people what it can afford.

"As far as food goes we give out vouchers and then people can go and do their own shopping," Mr Davies said.

When it comes to facing an over-budget food bill, Mr Davies said he does not think Vinnies was in the same situation last year.

"I would say it would be unusual (to be over budget)," Mr Davies said.

He agreed that one of the reasons why their bill was so high was because the cost of food has increased.

"We are giving out more per-head because of the extra cost of living," he said.

"If we gave someone $30 sometime in the past it would be ridiculous to give it out now."

He said the organisation has to cover the costs because they want to help people in need.

Vinnies is lucky it has access to a central pool of money which comes from things like op-shops sales and doorknock appeals.

The community can assist Vinnies.

"Donations of money is always the best. Donations of food and clothing is also good but cash is always best because it's far more flexible," he said.

People can make donations at Vinnies' shops, like the one in Nowra, or online at www.vinnies.org.au/ and you will see a yellow donate button.

All Saints Nowra gets great support from Anglicare and the two are working on another low-cost food project.

They have teamed up to provide low-cost food for those in need in the community.

Stocked with household pantry items, Anglicare Sydney's Mobile Community Pantry arrives at 70 Plunkett Street [behind the Nowra Anglican Church], every fortnight on a Wednesday, to distribute food between 1.30pm-2.30pm.

They started the service in April and the demand is increasing.

They started with 10 people and now it's over 20.

For a $10 contribution, families who need to stretch their budget further will be able to take home a shopping bag full of food worth about $60.

Apart from supplying a variety of staples and they also give people a social outlet, along with a cuppa and a biscuit.