Chief executive Nicky Sloan said the most recent statistics by the National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling revealed that about 13.6per cent of Wollongong and Shellharbour residents were considered to be in poverty, and 17per cent of the Shoalhaven population.

Ms Sloan said the 2013 figures also revealed the ‘‘distressing’’ level of childhood poverty, with 14per cent of children in Wollongong and Shellharbour, and 21per cent of children in the Shoalhaven, living in poverty.

Compared with national poverty figures released by the Australian Council of Social Services (ACOSS) this week, the regional statistics were alarming.

‘‘Across the region, more than 51,000 people are struggling to survive on incomes which put them below the poverty line,’’ Ms Sloan said.

‘‘The figures are particularly disturbing in the Shoalhaven [with figures] significantly above the national average.’’

The ACOSS report, released to coincide with Anti-Poverty Week, found  more than 2.5million Australians (13.9per cent) were living beneath the poverty line, including more than 600,000 children.

To be considered to be below the poverty line (50per cent of median income), a single adult needed to be surviving on less than $400 a week and a family of four on less than $841.

Ms Sloan said the impact of poverty was far-reaching – affecting finances and physical, mental and emotional health.

‘‘Having high rates of poverty also affects us as a region and as a community as when people are living so far below the poverty line, it affects their ability to participate in our community life,’’ she said.

Ms Sloan said the Illawarra and Shoalhaven region’s historically high unemployment was a factor in the high levels of poverty.

‘‘The ACOSS report [Poverty in Australia] showed that people living on any kind of social income support are most likely to be living under the poverty line,’’ she said. ‘‘We know that we have a high proportion of people who are unemployed in the Illawarra, particularly in the Shoalhaven, and particularly our young people.’’

Ms Sloan said the lack of affordable housing was also putting enormous stress on families and individuals.

‘‘It is very difficult to get public housing any more so people are paying up to 50per cent of their income on rent.

‘‘More than 32per cent of households in the Wollongong local government area are in rental stress, and that rate shoots up to more than 38per cent in the Shoalhaven,’’ Ms Sloan said.

‘‘So people who are living on really low incomes are having to spend all their money on essentials – they have no disposable income.’’

Ms Sloan said Australians should be calling on the federal government to review the levels of income support, so  people had enough money to pursue education and employment.

The region’s leaders should also be calling on government at all levels to invest in job creation.

‘‘We really need to be looking at programs that will generate employment for our region,’’ she said. ‘‘These figures are alarming but we’ve got to look at them as a baseline and say ‘that’s not OK’; we need to do things to improve these figures.’’ 

ACOSS chief executive Cassandra Goldie said the task could not be left to politicians alone.

‘‘We must have a whole-of-community effort, involving business, unions, community groups, researchers and the general public in a national consensus to support our much cherished values of a fair go, opportunity for all, and caring for each other — values that have made us a strong prosperous nation,’’ she said. 

Vicki  Austin has learnt that the best way to survive on a low income is to put a little away for a rainy day.

Having a tiny nest egg of a few extra dollars a fortnight can help out when the family runs out of money to buy food.

‘‘We always have enough to eat because I keep a little money hidden in case of emergencies,’’ Ms Austin said.

The 50-year-old is on a carer’s pension and lives with her husband, two older children and 11-year-old son.

Her older children and husband help out by contributing to the $350 a week rent they pay for their Port Kembla home.

She does one big shop a fortnight, filling the fridge with as much food as she can afford.

 ‘‘I fill up the fridge on $80 a fortnight. We usually try to save our food. We don’t have snacks. After dinner I tell everyone that’s it till the next morning. We can’t afford to eat between meals.’’

For dinner there is usually sausages, rissoles, chops and bacon and eggs.

She buys second-hand clothing when it goes on sale.

‘‘Clothes are way too dear to buy in the shopping centres,’’ she said. ‘‘I just sift through clothing at second-hand shops.’’

She gets her hair cut for free at a local church and colours it herself at home.

She occasionally eats the free lunch at the Warrawong Community Centre where she volunteers once a week. 

‘‘I’d like to get a job that pays so I can earn more money,’’ she said. ‘‘That would be great.’’ 

Greg Firman has lived below the poverty line for three years.

The former carpenter’s income dropped from $1000 to $300 a week on government benefits when his driver’s licence was suspended for not paying a string of fines. 

He lost his job because it was impossible for him to make the required 7am starts using public transport.

The 58-year-old lives in a one-bedroom Primbee unit, which he rents through the private market. Half his income is swallowed in rent. What’s left is used to pay the electricity bill and buy food for himself and his dog, Ebony.

An annual fishing holiday is a thing of the past. As are regular haircuts and tailor-made cigarettes.

‘‘I feed my dog before I feed myself,’’ Mr Firman said. ‘‘I always make sure she has enough to eat. A treat for me is a decent meal, a beer on pay day or a dessert after dinner. Once every six months, I have a $13 haircut.’’ Mr Firman occasionally splurges on a tub of cheap, no-brand ice-cream, which he mixes with a can of condensed milk and a banana.

‘‘That’s a really nice dessert for me,’’ he said.

He can no longer afford to roast a leg of lamb – instead his staple meals are sausages, steak and salad or spaghetti bolognaise.

He chooses the cheapest food possible including frozen vegetables, but buys fresh potatoes and carrots. He doesn’t buy fruit.

If it’s not raining, he avoids public transport and uses a pushbike to get around.

To make ends meet, he eats a free lunch at the Warrawong Community Centre four times a week where he also helps out as a volunteer.

He has no health cover or home contents insurance. 

Even though he is frugal, at the end of each fortnight his wallet is almost always empty.

‘‘You don’t waste money on silly things,’’ he said.

‘‘I’ve learnt to compromise. I buy the cheapest of everything. 

‘‘I try to save every penny I can,’’ Mr Firman said.