Social worker Connie Ng Man-yee has never been as busy as she is now, even though manpower at the St James Settlement's food bank has increased several-fold since it was established in 2003.
A record inflation rate of 7.9 per cent in July - largely due to higher rents and food prices - means more low-income families have turned to the food banks for help, prompting a significant surge in new applications.
Food staples such as milk powder and frozen meat are in high demand.
'New applications have to wait for a week to meet social workers for assessment, and orders to meat merchants are changed from once to twice a week,' Ng said as she penned an appointment request on a book without spare space.
Responding to the harsh reality confronting the poor families and their children, the South China Morning Post's The Heart of Hong Kong Relief Fund begins a campaign today to raise funds for the city's major food banks.
The campaign aims to raise funds for the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals' Food For All - Short-term Food Assistance Service and St James Settlement's People's Food Bank.
The Heart of Hong Kong Relief Fund is an ongoing initiative. The food campaign is the fund's first project.