Representatives from agencies met on Monday to postpone their planned event Hall Full of Help and discuss their responses to coronavirus.

Salvation Army, Uniting and Anglicare are now providing take away meals to clients instead of having dozens in for social meals, in accordance with social distancing recommendations.

However, the organisation's representatives said their ability to access to fresh fruit and vegetables and staple items to cook the meals and provide to emergency relief clients was reduced.

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Salvation Army Ballarat team leader John Clonan said panic buying at the supermarkets was making it difficult for vulnerable people to access what they needed.

"They are being placed in a more vulnerable situation because of the unnecessary panic buying by those who have the funds," he said.

"We would encourage people to think not only of themselves, but more vulnerable people in our community who are affected down the line by people taking more than what they need.

"If people have stockpiled, it would be good to be generous and share a bit with organisations to help those who have been deprived because of panic buying.

"Let's create equality in society rather than the haves having more and the have nots having less."

Uniting Ballarat emergency relief welfare program manager Tania Jennings said she had noticed clients coming in to the service in need of different items than they normally request, like pasta and toilet paper.

"People are struggling because there is just nothing on the shelves," she said.

"Even with giving clients gift cards, they are not able to purchase what they normally purchase.

"I have had a lot of people come in and I ask them 'what has put you in the position where you need to seek assistance?'. They say everything is costing more because they have to go to more expensive brands because that is what is on the shelf."

St Vincent de Paul has closed its assistance centre in Ballarat and is instead doing extra home visits to deliver items and vouchers to people in need.

Anglicare Victoria community development worker Kim Boyd said agencies would need extra goods to meet the increasing demand for support during this challenging time.

"We are keeping in mind our client group may expand rapidly in a short time because of the lack of casual work," she said.

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