A heartbreaking photo of Australians queuing for hot food has exposed the dire state of the cost of living crisis, with charities unable to meet demand.
SWAG Family Sydney president Ricky Herrera photographed the scene outside one of the food collection points at Martin Place in Sydney’s CBD.
Mr Herrera’s charity helps feed hundreds of people each week with stations also set up in Liverpool and Wollongong.
Queues have become an increasingly common sight across the country and hundreds of people have recently been seen queuing in Footscray, in Melbourne’s inner west.
“What I’m seeing now, I’ve never seen before,” Herrera said. news.com.au.
‘More mothers and children sleeping in cars. “We have the elderly sleeping in the cars.”
SWAG Family Sydney president Ricky Herrera photographed the heartbreaking scene outside one of the food collection points at Martin Place in Sydney’s CBD.
Herrera said he also receives an additional 160 calls from people in need of basic needs.
“We have noticed an increase in the number of people who actually have a place to live and who go out only to buy food because after paying the rent, electricity and phone bill, they have nothing left to buy,” he said.
A video posted to TikTok showed dozens of volunteers handing out hot meals, fresh fruit, bottled water and cans of soda to hundreds of people in need.
Herrera also visits homeless people sleeping on the streets at night several times a week to check if they need supplies.
He said more people are calling him to tell him they have lost hope and don’t see a way out of their life circumstances.
‘We have depressed and suicidal people. I get calls every night from people who are about to give up. I will run into the city at 2 or 3 in the morning,” she said.
Charities operating across Australia have encountered similar scenes with long queues.
Reaching Out founder Randa Beirouti, who operates in Melbourne’s inner west, said it has become the new norm.
‘Yes, this is a normal queue. Our numbers have grown exponentially,” she said. yahoo.
Hundreds of Australians standing in long queues (pictured) for hot meals and essential items have exposed the dire state of the cost of living crisis, with charities unable to meet demand.
Swag Family Sydney president Ricky Herrera (pictured) said people who have somewhere to live are struggling to pay for food and groceries.
The charity has a stall every Monday at 5.30pm and supports those in need by providing them with essential items such as clothing, blankets and sleeping bags.
Housing affordability has hit a record low, with just 0.6 per cent or 289 homes out of more than 45,000 rental listings considered affordable, according to the latest figures from Anglicare Australia.
Anglicare Australia chief executive Kasy Chambers said affordable housing is no longer a reality in Australia.
‘The real estate crisis is the worst that has ever existed. ‘This is not hyperbole. “It’s Australia’s new normal,” he said.
A recent report ranked Sydney as the second least affordable city in the world to buy a home.
The port city ranked behind Hong Kong as the least affordable cities for housing affordability, while Melbourne and Adelaide made the top ten.
Life line: 13 11 14.