More than half of the 2 million Australian households struggling to put food on the table have someone in the home in paid work, data from Foodbank Australia shows.
The rising cost of living is seeing many people seeking out food relief for the first time, but if you haven't needed to ask for help before it can be daunting.
Let's take a look at where to start and what your options are.
How does food relief work in Australia?
In Australia, the three biggest food relief organisations are Foodbank, Second Bite and Oz Harvest.
They source food that may otherwise be disposed of from producers and receive donations which they then distribute to charities to give to people in need.
Foodbank chief executive Brianna Casey says they are often called the "pantry for the community services and welfare sector".
"If you think about those household names that people might be more familiar with — Salvation Army, St Vincent de Paul and Red Cross — we provide food for them to provide to their clients," she said.
How do I find help close to home?
You can use the search tool available on the Foodbank, SecondBite or Oz Harvest websites.
This will tell you the charities around you that can give you a hand.
If you don't have access to the internet, you can give them a call.
You can chat to the charity about the support you are after and they will assess how they can give you a hand.
After an assessment, they can then give you access to food vouchers to use.
Charities can also help you access other wrap-around services such as housing and financial counselling.
Ms Casey says a referral from a charity is needed for their services.
"We're not here to judge, we're not here to make you feel awkward or embarrassed," she said.
"Making that first phone call or making that first visit is the first step.
"We're here to make the process easier and if we can help fill your tummy and make food one less thing to worry about, then that's a pretty fantastic incentive to make that first phone call."
The support that is available is different depending on where you live.
Ms Casey says in regional areas there are Foodbank Hubs which look like "mini supermarkets".
"It is a way for people to come in and choose the products that they need using a voucher system or using a referral system," she said.
"It's about providing those solutions in our local communities so that people feel supported, welcome and respected."
What can I expect from an organisation?
By using the search tool on a food relief website you can find an organisation like The Humble Mission in Melbourne.
It is run by Reham Elzeiny, her sister Mirriam and her mum Shaymaa Elkadi, who hold a pop-up market at Melbourne's Batman Park every Saturday.
On average 90 people turn up for access to groceries, meals cooked by volunteers or donated by restaurants, coffee and a barbecue with some of the non-perishable food they give out provided by Foodbank.
"The main demographic that we're getting at the moment are people that are experiencing homelessness, and it's usually regulars that come every week," Ms Elzeiny said.
"We have definitely noticed that we have been receiving a lot more inquiries throughout the week from people that may not necessarily be experiencing homelessness, but they are struggling for the first time."
Ms Elzeiny said they had a variety of people turn up each week, from children as young as 11 to people approaching their 70s.
"I would say to people that are finding themselves in any situation for the first time that you would be really surprised in terms of the variety and the types of people that come," she said.
"We see women, men, families, individuals — and people bring their pets."
In Brisbane, not-for-profit group Community and Friends helps feed 200 people through food giveaways at a park on the banks of the river each week.
Mark McDonnell founded the group, which is run by volunteers and relies on donations from the community, in 2011.
"We supply attendees with sufficient food for three or four days," he said.
He sends out all the information to first-timers in a text message explaining where to go, the best time to get there and what is on offer.
"We provide frozen meat, frozen meals, hot meals all with vegan alternatives," the text message reads.
"Also drinks, noodles, canned foods, additional non-perishable items, fresh fruit and vegetables, bread, cakes and other miscellaneous foods are available."
These are just two examples of the many different approaches by organisations offering food assistance across Australia.
What should I know about asking for help?
Foodbank Australia's research shows that only half the people who need help are reaching out for it.
Ms Casey says the single biggest reason for this is shame and embarrassment.
The second, is the belief that others deserve the help more than they do.
"We are here to help anyone that cannot afford to put a meal on the table and cannot afford to feed their children," Ms Casey said.
"We don't want people to feel embarrassed about asking for help, it's actually incredibly brave.
"If there was one message that we'd like to convey to the community it is that if you are in need of food relief, please let us know because we are here to help you."
Ms Elzeiny says one of the most common ways people reach out to them is on social media.
"Social media is really great in terms of maintaining privacy and dignity," she said.
"You can just send a private message to an organisation and ask.
"It eases you into the situation versus rocking up and having no idea who is going to be there, whether you're going to be received well and all of these unknowns.
"I would encourage people to just send a message and figure out what people are offering."
Why is there a stigma around reaching out?
The stigma in Australia around being poor and reliant on others is a real problem and a barrier to those who need help.
That's according to University of Queensland professor Cameron Parsell, who has spoken to people seeking help as part of his research.
"They speak about going in and asking for help as the absolute last resort," he said.
"Many people tell us that they will do anything possible to not go into a charity and ask for help."
On the other, he said people offering the help aimed to make the experience as dignified as possible.
Professor Parsell says the experience of those seeking help could be improved if society challenges the idea that "asking for help is a problematic experience".
