Sinn Fein has called an emergency meeting of Belfast City Council to discuss holiday hunger.
Councillor Ciaran Beattie has proposed that £300,000 be spent on food parcels for those most in need across the city.
If passed, he said it could help feed thousands hit by poverty.
The Sinn Féin Group Leader said: “Sinn Féin has called an emergency Council meeting to discuss how we can support vulnerable families and workers over the Christmas holidays.
“We are proposing that £300,000 be used to purchase and provide food parcels to assist those most in need in our city.
“This funding would allow for the purchase of thousands of food parcels to be distributed to vulnerable citizens in our communities.
“No citizen should go hungry – this includes our children, elderly and most vulnerable – the right to access food is considered a fundamental human right by the UN and it is firmly the view of Sinn Féin that this right must be inclusive and enjoyed by all.
“Poverty and a lack of access to food is an issue within our communities in ordinary times. This issue has been compounded by the ongoing pandemic and the uncertainty for families and workers.
“Sinn Féin has been pressing the Education Minister to extend free school meal payments over Christmas to help families and workers, and it is our hope that this scheme will provide further assistance to the most vulnerable."
A Belfast doctor treating some of NI's most poverty stricken children said she has seen babies "stuff toast into their nappies because they know they're never going to see another bite".
Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children's Dr Julie-Ann Maney said last week she wants our government to "make tackling child poverty a priority".
