More than a quarter of a million calls for help were received last year by the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, a ten per cent increase on the number of calls in 2022.
The charity says that just over 90,000 or over a third of the callers, were requesting help with food.
Close to 30,000 people who sought help from SVP last year were doing so for the first time.
Some 20,000 calls related to those seeking help with energy and utility bills, while another 33,000 calls were from people struggling with both food and energy costs.
The number of calls peaked in the run up to Christmas.
The majority of the remaining 77,000 calls related to costs around back to school, third level education, household goods, furniture, clothing, support with health related expenses, issues with mortgages and rent or funeral expenses.
However, the charity noted that last September calls for help with back to school costs fell, due to the free school books scheme and an increase in the back to school allowance.
It hopes to see a similar impact when free books at junior cycle are rolled out.
A Central Statistics Office Survey of Income and Living Conditions, shows there are just over 875,000 people experiencing basic deprivation, which means going without essentials such as adequate nutrition, warm clothing and heating.
The SVP says this shows that just a small proportion of those in need of help are reaching out for it.
SVP National President Rose McGowan has said that behind each of the statistics is a person or a family "trying to tread water in a sea of rising living costs".
"We know how hard it is to make that first call," she said.
"But our support is here in a confidential and non-judgmental way and the only criteria for help is need.
"It is important to recognise that behind each of these statistics is a person or a family trying to tread water in a sea of rising living costs.
"The mental toll on people of ongoing financial difficulties, poverty and lack of certainty about the future is to the forefront of our work in communities."
Ms McGowan said that despite the additional cost-of-living support payments made by the Government, there are many people who continue to struggle to meet basic family expenses.
"Our main concern at the moment is the number of households in arrears on their gas bills or those who cannot afford an oil fill. With another cold snap on the way, we are worried this situation will get worse as people try to manage debt and current usage costs," she added.
Dr Tricia Keilthy, SVP Head of Social Justice, said: "While reductions in energy prices as well as food prices in the coming months are welcome, the cost of living crisis is far from over for people in poverty.
"Low pay, lack of income supports, rising housing costs and homelessness, unaffordable childcare and lack of transport are just some of the challenges we are facing."
The SVP is now calling on the Government to commit to reduce consistent poverty to 2% or less by 2025.
The rate stood at 5.3% on 2022.
The charity is calling for benchmarking of the social protection system to what people need to live, increased investment in education across the life cycle, better pay, training and employment supports to address in-work poverty.
The charity says significant strides are needed by the Child Poverty Unit in the Department of An Taoiseach to help end child poverty.
Additional reporting Ailbhe Conneely
