It has asked the public to help out with donations of food or cash to ensure they can give needy families food for Christmas.

Salvation Army captain Tahlia Grounds said 90 families had asked for help this year which was up on the 76 who sought help last Christmas.

“Right across the Central West there has been a bit of extra demand for help,” she said.

She said many were struggling to pay bills while others had been hit by a sudden event including a death in the family or medical expenses.

“High rent is a big one, it is probably the biggest need they are presenting with,” she said.

Captain Grounds said it was the highest number of families seeking help in Orange for at least five years.

She said that with food and cash already donated they would only have enough to provide hampers for 50 of the 90 families.

Captain Grounds said each hamper cost $50 – which meant the Salvation Army is currently $2000 short of providing the needy with a Christmas food hamper.

“Our goal is to give one of the hampers to every family who needs it,” she said.

She said they needed people to donate food or cash by next Wednesday December 19 to give officials and volunteers time to pack the hampers.

The Salvation Army has a list of specific food they require.

It covers: Large green bags,  one-litre long life milk, one-litre long life custard, 500g assorted biscuits, a large bag of confectionery, 500g pasta, 500g jar of pasta sauce, a five-pack of instant two minute noodles, 1kg rice, 2L of soft drink or juice, a bag of potato chips, corn chips etc, 200g spread (jam, honey, vegemite etc), 375g Weetbix (or similar), a pack of tea bags, pack of coffee (either tin or sachets), 825g tinned fruit, 400g tinned salad item (peas/corn/beetroot), a fruit cake, 500g tinned baked beans or spaghetti, a box of Christmas bon bons and Christmas napkins.

The items should be brought to the Salvation Army offices in McNamara Lane.

You can email Captain Grounds on tahlia.grounds@aue.salvationarmy.org for more information.

One family making donations to help out the needy are the McFadyen family.

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Mum Alex McFadyen said that included taking their four children to a major store in Orange each year where the children picked a toy to give to another family.

“We want to put the focus on Christmas being about other people. All our kids will get enough but some people don’t,” she said.

“It is cool to pick something for someone else. The girls have been doing it since they were two.”