With temperatures plummeting and the cost of living rising it is making for a doubly difficult time for our city’s homeless.

With more and more people in need of assistance, local food relief charity Food Care Orange has launched an appeal for canned goods and other items to hand out to those doing it tough this winter.

Food Care Orange operates a shop on March Street where those experiencing financial hardship can get a range of foods and household items at a discounted rate, with bread, fresh fruit and vegetables offered free with purchases over $10.

It is a “hand up, not a handout,” says Food Care Coordinator Tim Mordue, who looks after the volunteer schedule and food ordering for the not-for-profit organisation.

Food sold or made available for free in the Food Care store is either purchased from FoodBank or local stores, while some is donated from local supermarkets, bakeries and orchards.

“But we also have an emergency relief area where people come in with nothing, where we give our customers or our clients an emergency kit — canned spaghetti, baked beans and other canned goods, long-life milk, that sort of thing,” he said.

The emergency kits include ready-to-eat canned meals as well as deodorant, soap, sanitary items, toothbrushes and toothpaste, and even bowls and cutlery.

“Bowls are a big thing; a lot of people who are suffering in silence and homeless in Orange, staying in motels or staying in their car, we can give them canned goods but they have nothing to eat it with,” Tim said.

“So we need cutlery and microwave-safe bowls… they don't have cooking equipment so having some things like rice and pasta may not work for them.”

Tim said what they really need are simple, nutritious ready-to-eat stews, soups, spaghetti, baked beans and similar non-perishable food goods.

Also microwave-safe bowls, cutlery, can openers, cups, sanitary items, razors, soap deodorant, toothbrushes and toothpaste.

“So, that's what we're asking for with our winter appeal, to replenish those stocks for emergency purposes,” Tim said.

“We had a really good drive at the end of last year over Christmas… and we're hoping a couple of schools can get on board and do the same sort of thing. We've had some come back already who are keen to do something in the next few weeks so that we can replenish our stocks.”

As well as donating directly to Orange Food Care at their March Street shop front, Ashcroft’s IGA have come on board and have dedicated the donation cages at the exit to their Summer Centre and Peisley Street stores to Food Care’s winter appeal for the next few months.

“The Ashcrofts have kindly offered them to us for the next three months over winter," Tim said.

“We have our signage up on those cages, so when you do your shop at IGA if you get an extra tin of spaghetti, you can drop it off there and it'll find its way to people in need.”

And the need is growing, Tim said, looking at the amount of food being ordered for the Food Care store and customers through their doors each month.

“We're doing about a thousand transactions with customers a month; that’s about a 30 per cent increase on the same time last year,” he said.

If you would like to donate items to Food Care’s winter appeal, look out for the cages at Ashcroft’s IGA or visit their shop at 142 March Street.

FoodCare Orange is open every Tuesday to Friday morning from 10.30am to 1pm and Thursday afternoons from 4.30pm to 6pm.

To find out more, make a donation, or volunteer contact FoodCare Orange by emailing info@foodcareorange.org.au, or visiting www.foodcare.org.au