Starter Packs Inverclyde has reached the milestone of helping over 4,000 households

The group, founded in 2002, now helps as many poverty stricken families as homeless people.

The organisation was set up 17 years ago to help people move into their first tenancy.

But as the years have gone by the emphasis has shifted to help those who already have a home, including families with children struggling to make ends meet, by providing every day household goods.

Since it was a set up 4,275 homes, 2,850 single people and 1,425 families - including 3,080 children - have been helped.

June Glancy, project co-ordinator, said: "There has been an increase in demand year after year.

"At first we were helping homeless people moving into a new home, now we are dealing with a lot of people who are in poverty living in their own house.

"It's about helping them to sustain a tenancy.

"It is now 50/50 between homeless people and people living in poverty."

June, speaking at a fundraising coffee morning at St Mary's Church hall in Greenock, said the group helped 464 households last year in total, including 137 families and 226 children.

She added: "This is 60 more homes than the year before."

The charity relies on public support to continue its work within the community.

June said: "Local people are very supportive considering the fact there are a lot of local charities looking for help such as Inverclyde Foodbank and Compassionate Inverclyde.

"We distribute monthly bookmarks to local churches with three or four items."

The coffee morning, which included entertainment by the Clydeside Singers, raised £1,070 to help the charity continue is vital work.