IT'S hard to feel warm when you're hungry.
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That's the message being spread as part of Foodbank Victoria's 2014 Warm Up Winter campaign.
Foodbank Victoria programs co-ordinator Brien Baxter spoke about the initiative earlier this week when Foodbank delivered a truck-load of goods to the Bendigo Foodshare warehouse.
"Just $25 can feed a family of four for a week," Mr Baxter said.
"So we're asking for donations from Bendigo residents and people in the surrounding Bendigo area."
Mr Baxter said there was a huge demand for assistance in central Victoria.
"We've seen the growth of around 40 per cent in ask for assistance through all of our agencies across the Bendigo region and across Victoria," he said.
"The year before this there was a 25 per cent increase.
"We're also seeing an increase in dual income families coming in at the time of back to school or winter energy bills come in.
"There's essentially people that have a small income, or even have those dual incomes, their cost of daily living has increased and their requiring assistance with food because it's the last thing they want to keep their head above water with their other accounts.
"The Warm Up Winter Appeal is a statewide campaign and we're being assisted, and we're assisting, the community Foodshares in Albury/Wodonga, Warnambool and Bendigo."
Foodbank Victoria is an independent not for profit organisation that provides food relief to 125,000 Victorians each month experiencing hardship. It is the state’s oldest and largest food relief organisation with more than 80 years’ experience.
For more information visit www.foodbankvictoria.org.au