Around 3,000 people have queued outside the Capuchin Day Centre in Dublin to collect Christmas food packages.
The city-centre based organisation gives out food packages every week to families in need, but says the financial pressure at this time of the year means that there is always a greater demand for their Christmas packages.
The parcels contain staple foods such as bread, milk, tea and sugar as well as chicken, bacon and sausages.
The centre reported that people began queuing for the packages from half past six this morning.
Brother Kevin of the Capuchin Day Centre, said they are aiming to make a Christmas food package available for anybody who needs one: