Since January Tot2Teens Albury-Wodonga and Wangaratta has handed out more than 130 toiletry and care packs for children affected by issues including bushfires, pandemic shortages, homelessness, family violence and poverty.

This month's pie drive fundraiser coincides with plans to move into a bigger shed at Storage King Wodonga, the group's home since May 2016.

Tots2Teens Albury-Wodonga area manager Jo Knight said the demand for packs, which provided necessities as well as special items like toys, had grown with this year's fire and coronavirus emergencies.

"Because people have lost jobs and don't have money," she said.

"Just those basic items, it's getting colder and they need things; nappies and wipes have been a big one, people couldn't actually get them."

The charity acts on referrals from organisations such as the Department of Health and Human Services, Upper Murray Family Care, Yes Unlimited, Junction Support Services and police.

Mrs Knight hoped to build more connections with Border schools because teachers were often the first to see when families might be struggling.

"They're the kids coming to school with no proper clothing, with no school items, so we really want to hone in on the schools and start working with them," she said.

In one example this year, after a tip-off from a teacher a birthday pack went to a teenager turning 16 who might otherwise have received nothing.

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Tots2Teens aimed last year to move from secondhand to new goods and achieved this goal by October.

"So everything we hand out is brand new," Mrs Knight said.

The 2019 pie drive raised about $900 and the group decided not to cancel this year's fundraiser despite the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We're hoping more people want pies because everybody's home," the area manager said, adding the project would also show support for the Myrtleford pie supplier, Heiner's Bakery.

More details are available on the Tots2Teens Facebook page, with orders due by June 15 and collection planned for June 25.

With the appointment of Wangaratta area manager Tish Ritchens, the charity had already moved once into a bigger shed but more space is still needed.

Mrs Knight hoped bigger businesses would come forward to help with future improvements, like fitting out the new premises with shelving, so that community donations did not need to be diverted from the packs.

Already Storage King Wodonga pays half of Tots2Teens' rent and donors make up the rest.

Storage King Wodonga manager Kylie Schmidt said an additional 120 storage units were due to be completed by the start of July, adding to the site's present total of 245 units.

"We have three local charities storing with us," she said.

"We would love to help Tots2Teens expand and help donate a bigger unit in our new expansion so that Jo may be able to support and reach more families and children needing assistance."

Mrs Knight said during the pandemic restrictions, she put together packs on her own but now more people could return to the shed.

Other volunteers provided services like washing and ironing the new clothes, putting embroidery on face washers and sorting socks.

The Albury-Wodonga area manager said this year's pie drive arrangements made it a little difficult to assess order numbers but "I do know from last year, come the last week we do a countdown and that's when it starts to rush in".