A survey of frontline charities, conducted by food rescue organisation OzHarvest, showed 77 per cent of Australian households had experienced an increase in people seeking food in the past year. In Canberra, the number of people requesting food support for the first time was 37 per cent — the highest rate in the country. "Considering we're supposed to be the lucky country, for a lot of families, it doesn't feel that lucky," says CEO of the Canberra PCYC, Cheryl O'Donnell.