More than two million Australians will be reaching out to charities for support this Christmas as cost of living pressures make the festive season a financial burden.
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New research by the Salvation Army reveals that 99 per cent of its clients are worried about how they will afford Christmas, and six in ten will struggle to afford presents for their children.
The Salvation Army's Major Bruce Harmer said frontline workers were seeing an increase in people in crisis.
"The Salvation Army is experiencing a tsunami of need," he said.
"We are deeply concerned to hear about the agonising choices every-day Australians are making, such as deciding whether to pay an electricity bill or buy a Christmas present for their child."
The Salvation Army also commissioned PureProfile to do a survey which found that more than half of Australians were more stressed about their finances this year compared to last year.
Record breaking cost of living, floods, fires, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic have pushed many Australian families into financial distress.
The research found that one in four Australians are concerned about affording their rent/mortgage repayments, one in four have been significantly impacted by rising interest rates and 5.4 million Australians (21 per cent) are worried about how they will afford enough food at Christmas.
"These statistics clearly show the dire impact that the cost of living is having on Australians across the country," Mr Harmer said.
"They also show that over 2.5 million will be reaching out to a charity for support this Christmas. We feel privileged to walk alongside people during their time of need, to provide practical support when it is needed most and to offer hope during the festive season and beyond."
How you can help
The Salvation Army Christmas Appeal is urging Australians with means to donate, with just $90 able to provide food, presents and a tree for a struggling family on Christmas Day.
Foodbank Australia is seeking donations for Christmas with $50 providing 300 meals.
Not for profit food bank SecondBite says that for every $1 donated they can deliver enough food for up to 5 meals for Aussies in need.
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For those who have time to volunteer, numerous charities have standing call outs for help over the Christmas period with assembling and distributing food boxes and hampers, staffing food vans and kitchens, and providing general assistance to the local community.
Christmas volunteers are needed at Wesley Mission in Sydney, Centacare Family Services in Geraldton Western Australia, and the Salvation Army army is seeking volunteers in every state.
A Volunteering Australia survey estimated that 26.7 per cent of adults volunteered in Australia in the 12 months to April 2022.
This was down from 36 per cent in the 12 months before late 2019.
