11yo Amelia Hayes inspires Unanderra Public School to pay it forward

But thanks to an 11-year-old with a social conscience beyond her years and a supportive school community, the pantry's shelves will bulge with products this week.

Last school holidays Amelia Hayes attended programs at the centre. Today she put what she learned into action.

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Amelia, a year 6 student at Unanderra Public School, asked assistant principal Mrs Brennan, if the school would support a fundraising day for the Unanderra Community Centre's Purple Pantry.

It all came to fruition today, June 22, which doubles as B Kinder Day.

The mother of Australian 12-year-old Billie Kinder founded the day in 2018 because she wanted to empower children to make a difference. Now the day is celebrated worldwide.

At Unanderra Public it was a big day - and one which stretched into the evening, Amelia's mother Caitlyn Pratt explained.

"Everyone at the school got behind it so much we ended up with 48 bags of donations, two boxes and a couple of bags of chips," Mrs Pratt said as a team prepared to unload the goodies transported to the centre via a Hayes & Daughters truck.

"And there was a disco in the evening where $1 from every glowstick will go to the centre."

So excited was one young student he bought his contribution a day early. But, Mrs Pratt said, he backed it up with a whole bag of goodies yesterday.

The centre's programs co-ordinator Eley Buckle was inspired by Amelia's thoughtfulness.

"This is what it's all about - people in the community helping others in the community.

"Amelia's compassion and desire to help people is an example to us all."

"Everything here will go back out into the community," she said.

"Sometimes just a packet of cake mix can be the treat a whole family needs - it's that simple."

As the cost of living continues to rise, the centre's two food support programs have never been more in demand, Ms Buckle said.

"We have had an influx of families, particularly of a Wednesday when there's a queue of people ready for the doors to open at 10am."

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Mrs Pratt knows only too well the hardships facing people right now: "We've been there and it can be shameful asking for help. But there's none of that at The Purple Pantry."

Instead the pantry, which is open daily between 9.30am and 2.30pm is operated on a "take what you need and give what you can basis".

"There's no judgement," Ms Buckle said.

Through the community centre's manager Michelle Cook, leading food rescue group OzHarvest has joined in and delivers all sorts of goods plus fruit and vegetables from supermarkets weekly.

Every Wednesday those goods are redistributed to families who have registered with the centre.

"The service has been running for a couple of years but in recent months we have noticed a significant increase in the families involved," Ms Buckle said.

"People are desperate."