Our world in the midst of a pandemic is already a strange one indeed and one that impacts on all of us in some way.

That's whether it be the inconvience of lock-down or the closed border and associated permit system for locals, or - at the other end of the scale - the hardship created by becoming unemployed.

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For many Border residents, it has led to needing to seek out help that in pre-pandemic times would never have been imagined.

The COVID-19 virus poses a considerable threat to our health, but with the every day comes the problem of making ends meet.

The federal government's move early in the crisis to double unemployment benefits and to create the JobKeeper program, the latter to subsidise businesses impacted by the restrictions, have eased that for now.

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Crunch time though, Border welfare groups have warned, will come this September when this package comes to an end.

That translates to going from a reality of 15 calls to the Border's temporary food relief line in its first month to what is expected to be a marked increase in numbers.

Tribute must be paid therefore to the five agencies that come under the Albury Wodonga Emergency Relief Providers Network, for the program has prepared for that upsurge with what they say will be ample quantities of food.

It doesn't mean things haven't been tough in the past few months.

Uniting Care Wodonga's Catherine Byrne pointed to the increase in homelessness, especially men, and the ongoing struggles endured by large families.

Ms Byrne says the end to the payments, as would be expected, will lead to considerably more stress for people, especially for those who have lost their jobs.

As she says, "those consumers won't know what to do, quite frankly, because they are people who have normally worked. We'll certainly see an increase, but we've got lots of food, and we're ready for that."

The community should be proud of the ongoing hard work of these providers.