Donations to a Belfast foodbank have soared 20-fold less than a month after shelves were stripped bare.
Three weeks ago The Larder Foodbank in East Belfast was down to its last tins of beans after demand surged because of Covid-19.
Louise Ferguson, community coordinator, said the service would have had to close if donations hadn't risen to match.
Now the hall is full of food and they can support other agencies helping people in need.
Ms Ferguson said: "It feels entirely different to where we were, when we were very empty here and queues out the door.
"I would have thought if things had carried on the way they were going we would have definitely had to close our doors by now.
"There was no way we could have met the demand that has been created by the amount of food we normally have so this has been a huge about-turn but this comes out of a sense of community and about realising that our neighbours are important and that at a time like this, being in this position could happen to anyone."
Volunteers and businesses have given cash and essentials - and offered to deliver food to people who are self-isolating.
She said demand had doubled in the past month - but that's been more than matched by the community.
She added: "We're very lucky because we get to see the generosity of people. People have been leaving donations just at the back door.
"We've created a delivery system for people who are self-isolating so that there's nobody sitting hungry. Really it's a team effort, it's a massive team effort."
Barry Easton, a youth worker from Alternatives East Belfast, said they were seeing people who would normally never ask for help.
He said: "I think a lot of people have been really accepting of the help and people I've spoken to as well have said 'I'm a really private person, I don't really want this help but I need it. I think that's where pride breaks down and people are genuine and honest and open."
