AN unprecedented demand for emergency relief, food and support services has seen UCare Gawler experience one of its busiest days on record.

At least 330 people attended UCare Gawler’s Tod Street service on the Tuesday, immediately after Easter, with many stood down from their jobs or facing financial hardship in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a period of just two and a half hours, volunteers had handed out 75 food hampers.

UCare Gawler support manager Sheena Tapping has worked in the community sector in Australia for about 15 years and said she has never experienced such a need for assistance.

“Absolutely unprecedented – even when we had the global financial crisis it was nothing like this, not even close to it,” she said.

“We are lucky that the staff have been here a long time and are very experienced in dealing with crisis situations and know how to respond.

“We just have to make sure we take time for that debrief and coffee together at the end of the day, so we can talk through it, because it is sad.”

Since the introduction of business restrictions due to COVID-19, UCare Gawler has seen a steady increase in the number of people seeking help.

It now helps an average of 150 households per day – up 50 to 60 households since the start of March.

Ms Tapping said household budgets are no longer stretching as far as they used to at the supermarket, with bulk and panic buying leading to a reduction in the availability of ‘budget’ or home-brand food items, and supermarkets halting their regular specials.

“Because of everything going on they are looking for those cheap items on the shelf and they are not there, so they are coming in more frequently and we are able to give them some of our food relief items,” she said.

“People who are already on a tight budget, I just wouldn’t want to be in their shoes; it would be really really hard for them.”

Aside from food packages, UCare Gawler also offers a financial counselling service and No Interest Loan Scheme for the purchase of essential goods.

The UCare Gawler Site, at 10 Tod Street, is open for the collection of food items between 9.30am and 3pm, Monday to Friday, and for financial assistance by appointment (8522 4522).

Donations are needed of non-perishable food items, such as tinned fruit, pasta sauces, and pasta, which have been harder to source of late.