![Staff at the Tolland Community Hub ahead of two days of food relief being offered over the Christmas break. Pictured are senior case manager for Youth in Trade June Tusiupu with Hub co-ordinator Stacey Prigg, and Santa. Picture by Les Smith Staff at the Tolland Community Hub ahead of two days of food relief being offered over the Christmas break. Pictured are senior case manager for Youth in Trade June Tusiupu with Hub co-ordinator Stacey Prigg, and Santa. Picture by Les Smith](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/172474527/5043e46f-69b0-4ac3-9004-5abd21c31f8e.jpg/r0_27_1200_824_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
With many charities and support services wrapping up for the year this week, Wagga's homeless community is set to be left with few places to go this Christmas.
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In recent weeks there has been an outpouring of support for those struggling financially, including the recent Foodbank visit funded by MPHN, while many other community groups and organisations have provided Christmas hampers and a wide range of support.
But as they shut their doors over the Christmas period, many will still require support for essentials, and Mission Australia has stepped up in partnership with the Department of Communities and Justice to meet that need.
The Tolland and Kooringal community hubs will be handing out free essentials on December 27 and 28.
These will include crucial pantry items such as pasta, noodles, milk, coffee, sauces, cereals and cans.
Other items also available will include dignity packs, mums and bubs packs, hygiene packs and toiletries.
The Tolland Community Hub facilitator, Mission Australia's Stacey Prigg, said the hub has received support for the initiative from a number of community groups.
These include the Rapid Relief Team, Carevan, OzHarvest, Foodbank, Wagga City Council, DCJ, Mission Australia and RivMed.
Ms Prigg works at the Tolland Hub everyday and said they provide food support to 27 people on average everyday.
She said there is a "massive" demand for support from the community at present.
"People generally want food relief," she said.
Ms Prigg distributes the food out as people come in and said she does her best to share it around.
"I know the community well, so I make sure families who need it get this amount while single people get this amount," she said.
Ms Prigg hopes by offering the service this year that it will keep people afloat during the Christmas season.
"I just hope that everybody has enough food to get them by for the week we are shut," she said.
Mission Australia acting regional manager Sharni Bradley said the Kooringal Hub has seen a sharp increase in requests for assistance in the last quarter.
The Kooringal hub currently provides food assistance to an average of 35 people a day.
Ms Bradley said the idea for the two-day support service came up at a meeting.
"We were discussing how all the food relief providers are closing down over the Christmas period, leaving Wagga community members to go without that relief," she said.
She said the two day food relief program was the result of a partnership with other groups, with DCJ staff to provide assistance across the two days.
Tolland Hub will open its doors from 11am-1pm on December 27, while Kooringal Hub will open the following day December 28 from 11am-1pm.
Those requiring urgent assistance for food or other support can contact the NSW Salvation Army emergency phone assistance line on (02) 8775 7988.