A food bank in Belfast has issued an urgent appeal for donations ahead of school summer holidays.
The Community Food Bank began during lockdown and is currently based at The Flax Centre in Ardoyne.
As a result of a rising cost of living including heightened gas and electric bills and increasing food prices, the volunteers at the food bank say they have seen a huge increase in demand in recent weeks.
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They're receiving referrals from 33 local schools and community groups and have found "demand at the minute is just increasing all the time."
Sinn Féin Councillor for the area, Nichola Bradley, told Belfast Live that they're struggling to keep up and are in desperate need of donations.
She said: "We're strictly donation based, so we rely on that to keep us going. Local schools have been doing food drives which is great, our local GAA teams - Ardoyne and Pearses - are massive backers of the food bank. We really wouldn't be able to do it without them.
"Demand is increasing particularly with young families and working families. Working families seem to be struggling the most right now, particularly now that kids are going to be off school.
"Even when they were going back to school, the price of uniforms has left people not knowing what to do, they just can't afford it. We're basically just trying to make sure that everyone can have a dinner at this point.
"There are some people just not getting by, day to day not just week to week. Working families are really struggling, they may find themselves maybe a few pounds over the threshold and not able to get any help with costs [from government]. There's only so much of a pot of money to go about so I understand why it happens, it's just awful."
The food bank team are expecting demand to increase further this month as children get off school for summer holidays.
"Kids are in the house more, your electric is on more, the gas is being used more," Nichola added.
"Kids are just constantly grazing if they're in the house, it's just what they do. You can't hold out to them. I only have two, but I can't imagine anything worse than sitting in the house and not having enough for your kids that day."
In particular, they are in need of more expensive items including nappies, baby items, and toiletries including feminine products.
The Community Food Bank are also concerned as their current base is due to close for good in a number of weeks meaning they are on the look out for a new centre to work from. They are asking if anyone has a space they can use, to get in touch through social media here.
Donations of goods can be left into their unit at The Flax Centre on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10.30am to 1pm, or at their monthly food drive in the centre on the last Saturday of each month from 11am to 2pm.
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