Up to 700,000 people in NSW haven't got enough money to feed themselves or their children properly, a report says.
The annual report from Foodbank NSW, released on Wednesday, claims an eight per cent hike in the number of people seeking food supplies in the state - up to 700,000 in the last year.
Each month 11,000 of those who seek food relief cannot be assisted, the report says.
Forty per cent of these are children and most of those who do get help putting food on the table don't get enough.
Foodbank NSW CEO Gerry Anderson says rising fuel and electricity prices and other cost of living increases are pushing families past breaking point.
"What happens with a lot of the low-income families is that any little hiccup in their cash flow becomes a disaster," he told the ABC.
"Unfortunately food's become a discretionary spend."
The charity takes excess food and produce from farmers and manufacturers, but says it needs more room for storage as demand continues to climb.
Foodbank NSW is calling on the federal government to match a commitment by the previous Labor government to put $2 million towards a bigger warehouse to house three or four times more food.
Mr Anderson estimated his agency was already saving the federal government about $170 million by helping feed the needy.
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