Hull North MP Diana Johnson has encouraged those who can afford it to make a pre-Christmas donation to Hull's Food Banks to help local families in need.
The Labour MP's call comes as Hull Food Bank is expecting more than a 20% increase in the number of local people needing assistance from them in the month of Christmas this year, compared to December 2013.
In December 2013, 423 people sought help from Hull's main Food Bank. Based on current demand trends, Hull Food Bank's management is expecting the comparable figure for December 2014 to reach around 550 by the end of the month.
The Hull North MP mentioned this increase in Food Bank demand in Hull in the House of Commons debate on Food Banks on Wednesday 17 December.
Nationally, the Trussell Trust say that a million people annually currently use Food Banks representing another increase in reliance. Last year, Trussell Trust Food Banks around the country gave three days of emergency food to over 100,000 people in December. About a third of those helped were children.
This year the number nationally needing Food Bank help over the festive period is expected to increase further to 115,000 in December 2014.
The Hull North Labour MP will be stopping by at Hull Food Bank on Monday (22 December) to make her own personal donation.
Hull North MP Diana Johnson said: "Around 20% more local people will rely on Hull Food Bank this Christmas, compared to last Christmas. In the sixth richest country on the planet this is shocking.
"Coalition benefit changes and bureaucratic delays, poverty pay and the cost of living crisis are leading increasing numbers of Hull people to need Food Banks - even though we're told that the economy is recovering.
"The Government should be just as concerned about the growing dependency on charity to meet basic needs, even for many in work, as they are about benefits dependency.
"We need to attack the underlying causes of increasing food poverty, but in the meantime I hope that those who can afford it will donate to Hull Food Bank in time to help local families this Christmas."
For more information on Hull Food Bank and how to donate, call 01482 224783 or see www.hull.foodbank.org.uk/.
