The former Mountain View grocer—who volunteers at the center from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday—knows because he always makes sure the labels are pointed outwards, the cans are stacked safely, and there are no packages of potatoes mixed in with the chili rows.

But he doesn't have to worry for long, because even if all the rows—some of them three cans high and three cans deep—packed with a smorgasbord of canned goods, dried pastas and cooking necessities never last more than two hours. By the time another group of low-income Sunnyvale residents arrive to pick up a two-week supply of holiday food, Rosingana and other volunteers will have the shelves restocked and ready to go.

On any given day, there are volunteers working all over the community services building on Kifer Road. Seven-year volunteer Carol Schweizer has been putting together gift packs all season, wrapping individual items such as towels and shampoo bottles into bathroom packs, or coffee mugs, hot cocoa and coffee into "Rainy Day" packages.

"This place is like a family, and people appreciate you so much for what you do. Its better than getting paid," Schweizer said.

Ecuador native Henry Marañon and his wife Gloria usually volunteer one day a week, but during the holiday rush, they work, sometimes two or three times a week. Henry teaches $5 Spanish classes, and Gloria works at the front desk, handling clients and directing the flow of people that come through the doors each day.

Executive Director Nancy Tivol said the rising numbers of clients has leveled off to around 1,100 families. Many of those families come in once a month to receive a shopping bag full of food and goods. But at Christmas, the warehouse is transformed into a fully stocked department store, with food, toys, clothes and household items. During winter months, Tivol said the number always climbs, especially for the Community Christmas Center, because parents can find pick out gifts for their children and useful items for their homes.

A few families are still signing up for the Christmas center, but Tivol said it is well stocked to handle anyone who comes in, thanks to donations from community organizations and a truck-load of food bought at special discount prices, specifically for the holiday center.

And while the number of families coming to the center has leveled off, the number of seniors coming for goods has risen dramatically.

In June, almost 200 Sunnyvale residents came to the center for food. On Dec. 14, there were more than 280 coming in for bags of food and $15 Pak'N Save gift cards.

Like the Community Christmas Center, the gift cards are an attempt by Community Services to give their clients freedom to chose what they have this holiday season, instead of merely accepting a handout.

"We usually give them a gift, but anything we give them can be bought at Pak'N Save with the gift cards," Tivol said.

Tivol attributes the rise in senior clients to the new more expensive insurance plans and to the many prescription drugs that have become over-the-counter drugs—no longer covered by insurance. As a result, people on fixed incomes are struggling to pay for their medications and have less to spend on food.

"This is a crime, it's an absolute crime in this country," Tivol said. "I don't think the term 'working poor,' should even be in our language."