Foodbanks around the country have lower stock than normal after unprecedented demand this year.

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Many centres say they’ve seen up to a 40 per cent increase in people needing help.

Wellington City Mission says this means more donations are needed as the busy season hits.

"There's always a difference between those who have and those who don't have, and at Christmas time particularly that seems to be accentuated," says city missioner Murray Edridge.

Auckland City Mission has handed out 4,000 more food parcels than last year already, and in Christchurch, Matthew Mark says his city’s mission has seen a jump in demand too.

He says food parcels are a good litmus test of the health of the community, which seems to be struggling at the moment – particularly people who are the so-called working poor.

"So just where mum and dad are really struggling to make ends meet and you've only got to have things go [up], like petrol prices... and all of sudden that's the straw that breaks the camel’s back," he says.

The Salvation Army is echoing pleas for more donations. It says in some areas they’ve even had to buy food to keep up with demand.

"Everything seems to be getting dearer and the amount of income that people are getting is staying pretty much the same," says Nicki Dutton who works in a Salvation Army in Porirua.