A Fife foodbank is having to move to bigger premises in order to keep pace with demand.
Joyce Leggate, who chairs the Kirkcaldy scheme, said the independent foodbank was seeing around 1,000 people in need every month.
Last year more than a third of its emergency supplies went to children.
Bosses say the rise in demand is largely due to delays in receiving benefits, although a number of clients are in work and unable to put food on the table for their families.
The foodbank, currently based at Dysart, is having to buy up to £9,000 of supplies every month to top up the donations it receives from the public.
Mrs Leggate was speaking as members of Fife Council’s Kirkcaldy area committee unanimously agreed to a £10,000 funding allocation to help the service move to larger premises.
“We can’t stay at Dysart, we’ve completely outgrown the facility,” she said.
“A thousand food packages going out every month is far to much for that location.”
A report to the committee revealed that since December 2014, 425,303 meals have been given out in Kirkcaldy.
Mrs Leggate said: “We deal with hundreds of people every month and it’s been a struggle over the last year to sustain the service. That has been for various reasons, including the benefit changes and the challenges that has presented.
“It’s the transition to universal credit that is causing poverty.
“It’s not just unemployed people coming to us – there are a small number of people who are employed in seasonal work or on zero hour contracts.”
Labour councillor David Ross said there was clearly a desperate need for the service and it was right that the council contribute.
He told the committee: “I’ve been reluctant about giving foodbanks direct funding in the past.
“I don’t think they should exist as part of the welfare system. Unfortunately we are in the position that they are essential.
“I do want to see them disappear. However, we’re at the stage where the council supporting by direct funding is the right thing to do.”
SNP councillor Rod Cavanagh laid the blame at the door of the UK Government’s welfare policies, including the introduction of Universal Credit.
“It’s outrageous that in 2019 we’re faced with the need to have foodbanks,” he said.
“Across the country, thousands are in dire poverty and can not afford to feed themselves or their families. A third of those receiving meals are children. It is scandalous.”
