A food bank charity, with banks all over Sussex, has launched its first-ever emergency appeal to meet a "devastating rise in need" as it warns of its "hardest winter yet" amid the cost of living crisis.
The Trussell Trust said food banks are "struggling" to meet "a tsunami" of demand which was now outstripping donations - and called on the government to do more to help.
Through its support of 1,300 food bank centres, the charity said it has already used up its reserve stock which would normally help maintain supplies across the winter months.
Emma Revie, CEO of The Trussell Trust, said:
"We never wanted to run an appeal like this, we would rather there was no need for food banks at all.
"But right now, they are on the frontline of this cost of living emergency - we have no other option.
"Faced with the perfect storm of rising energy prices, inflation and a potential recession that is pushing people deeper into poverty, the soaring cost of living is driving a tsunami of need to food banks.
"Through this emergency appeal we hope to raise the vital funds required to ensure that food banks can meet this devastating rise in need and continue to support people who are experiencing hardship."
She added:
"As well as raising vital funds, we hope our emergency appeal is a stark reminder of how reliant we have become as a society on the kindness of volunteers.
"No one should need to turn to charity for something as essential as food and the situation we are facing is too great for food banks to solve alone."
Ms Revie also called on the government "to do what's right and provide a package of support directly targeted at people on the lowest incomes".
The trust said food banks are having to purchase three times as much food as they did last year - and it has distributed 46% more emergency food parcels in August and September than at the same time in 2021.
The warning comes as research revealed millions of families are skipping meals or changing shopping and eating habits as they struggle with household finances.
Consumer champion Which? said among those who were struggling the most, 50% admitted their household was skipping meals.
Its research also revealed 46% of consumers were finding it harder to eat healthily compared to before the cost of living crisis.
The findings come as inflation last month returned to the 40-year high it hit earlier this summer after food prices soared.
The Office for National Statistics said Consumer Prices Index inflation reached 10.1% in September, compared with 9.9% in August, driven by food prices leaping by 14.5% on last year.
(c) Sky News 2022: Food bank charity launches first-ever emergency appeal amid 'devastating rise in need'
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