Two million struggle to put food on table Tony Joseph and Paul Osilagers find meals at a weekly "food shed" in Sydney's inner-west suburb of Enmore. Picture: Sam Mooy DEMAND for food aid has surged almost 10 per cent in the past year, with the children of the working poor frequently going hungry, the nation's leading food assistance charity will report today. Foodbank's second annual End Hunger Report reveals that, despite an upswing in corporate donations, the charity still needs 65 per cent more food donations to address the soaring demand. Services are also being strained by the former Labor government's decisions to cut welfare benefits for single mothers, and release more than 10,000 asylum-seekers into the community on bridging visas without work rights. Foodbank chairman Enzo Allara said two million Australians were struggling to put food on their tables, an "alarming" 9 per cent increase since last year's inaugural report. "As a result, tens of thousands of people in crisis each month are being turned away, unable to be helped, unable to obtain the food to feed their desperate families," Mr Allara said. What you commonly hear is that people seeking an increase in food is generally from low-income people who've experienced an unexpected, costly event that's caused them to seek out help. The report, compiled with Access Economics, analysed and weighted data provided by 966 Foodbank member organisations. Although food aid is commonly associated with hot meals and soup kitchens for the homeless, Foodbank reported the greatest demand was for breakfast cereal, fruit and vegetables, bread and meat. Since Enmore's Church of the Nazarene opened its weekly back-room "food shed" in July, demand has exponentially increased, with up to 60 people cramming through each Friday. Among them is part-pensioner Paul Olislagers, 60, who worked full-time as a public servant before he was made redundant in 1998 and later became a full-time carer for his sick mother. He has now been diagnosed with prostate cancer. " (When I worked full-time) I never thought I'd be the sort of person who would need food aid," said Mr Olislagers. In those days I had a savings account. I had money. When I come here I can get some basic meals, bangers and mash, that sort of thing. Dressings and sauces are sometimes here for pasta, which is filling, but also things like toothpaste, that saves me a lot of money. I hope I will get back to full-time work. This is all temporary, I hope. I trust. Tony Joseph, an age pensioner, said he could survive without food aid, but relied on the food shed for small luxuries he would not normally think to buy in a shop, such as biscuits. Sally Pennell, who with husband Caine Pennell leads the Enmore congregation, criticised Canberra for stripping asylum-seekers of their work rights and cutting benefits for single mothers. "I don't think the government puts a lot of thought into the repercussions of making these decisions that hurt people who are just trying to make a new start," she said. It's a decision between charity or crime. What's the choice? Foodbank agencies help 473,000 people a month, 35 per cent of whom are children. One-quarter of agencies reported increased demand since last year.