For the past three years, Longford-based relief organisation Helping Hand and Roberts Real Estate have run the drive in order to meet the heightened need during winter.

The number of items donated by the community this year more than doubled the 2018 total.

"We're just waiting on a final tally because there is one more very late donation coming in I know," said Roberts' Longford branch manager and director David Headlam.

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"But it's probably going to be in the order of 1400 food items. And to put that in perspective, I think we've got about 600 last year."

"The difference between this year and last year is I certainly made a lot more effort," he said. "It was not just a case of putting the bins out this year, we were invested in some advertising. We certainly did a lot more effort on social media."

For Helping Hand, formed by a collective of the region's churches in 1992, the result will mean the equivalent of more than $3500 they no longer have to find themselves to provide emergency food assistance.

The organisation offers a free service to residents of Longford, Perth, Cressy, Poatina, Bishopsbourne and the surrounding rural areas.

Counselling and food hampers are provided, along with assistance handling energy bills and pharmacy visits, and petrol to make appointments.

An inaugural musical event to raise money for Helping Hand also proved so popular this year, it might become an annual event.

President Barbara Baker said it was a "huge success", with more than 150 people attending and $3000 raised.

"This is a totally local volunteer group that is supporting [those] just within its immediate catchment zone," Mr Headlam said.

"It doesn't get any more community oriented than ... local people sort of all getting together to do something for someone that's in need - [and] probably could be their next door neighbor."

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