Cork Penny Dinners say it's getting more difficult to figure out whether people are coming to their door to donate or because they need help.
The City Centre charity say they are seeing increasing numbers of people turning up looking for help with issues like food poverty or a lack of warm clothing as winter approaches.
Volunteers are also reporting an increase in the amount of first-time users of the service.
Speaking to RedFM News, Caitríona Twomey from Penny Dinners says they are seeing more people in need of help than ever before.
"They're looking at us, and we're looking at them, and we're waiting for them to say something because we don't know if they're coming to ask for something or to donate something.
"And you have to keep your composure in case they are asking for something, and they are but they just don't know how to articulate it.
"A lot of people would ask us is it addiction that causes this, is it mental health causes this?
"But sometimes a person is just down on their luck, and anything can change their luck."
