The Hub, in Nowra, made its appeal through local media outlets, with manager Kerri Snowden and co-ordinator Julie Bugden saying they had been “overwhelmed” by the reaction.

“We usually have a stockpile of food which we give to homeless people,” Ms Snowden said.

“In the past few weeks we have had a number of requests for food items and our stockpile diminished. We were at the stage we had nothing left.

“Some days we are seeing 20 people in the five hours we are open.  We would see more than 100 people a month and there has been an influx of young families needing help.

“We simply ran out of food.”

They said they felt like Old Mother Hubbard in the nursery rhyme - they went to the cupboard but they cupboard was bare.

“We put out a call for help and the donations of food have rolled in,” Ms Bugden said.

“We are not funded to supply food but as an organisation we like to try and help our clients in any way we can. At times that includes providing food for meals.”

“A lot of people who come here have no money and often haven’t eaten in days, so to be able to offer them some food is great,” Ms snowden said.

She said the donations had been incredible.

“We have some very generous people in our community,” she said.

“People just turned up with bags of food.

“Lots of them were the seniors of our community, who themselves would be on a pension or fixed incomes, and in many cases also doing it tough. Yet they were willing to help others.

“We are so grateful.”

Far Meadow resident Nerell Kelly, who was dropping off a donation, said she heard the appeal on local radio and decided helping out was “an easy thing to do”.

“It doesn’t take much to help,” she said.

“I was surprised how many things I could get that were on special in the local supermarkets and it all helps.”

While the Hub now has a ready supply of food, it is always willing to accept donations, especially non perishable items like long-life milk, cereal and canned food with pull tab openers.

Donations can be left at the Shoalhaven Homeless Hub at the rear of 27 Junction Street, Nowra. The Hub is open from 10am to 3pm Tuesday to Friday.