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Auckland City mission is putting out the call for more donations to cope with unprecedented demand this Christmas.
City missioner Chris Farelly says people start queing at midnight to be in the door the next morning, and 1000 people a day are coming through for help.
He says the most pressing current needs are cash and presents for the under twos.
He says people are struggling to get by.
"On average we find people have about $80, $85 a week left in their pockets to pay for food once they have paid their rent. Over 50 percent of their income is going in rent for a lot of people, so just nothing left," Mr Farelly says.
He says at this time of the year loan sharks are preying on the poor with offers of up front cash and credit to meet Christmas obligations, but it comes at a huge cost once the tinsel comes down.
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