Lengthy queues formed in Dublin city centre today as the Capuchin Day Centre distributed tickets for their annual Christmas vouchers.
It is expected the around 3,500 tickets will be given out today.
Capuchin Day Centre manager Alan Bailey has said he has never seen it as busy.
He said people lined up at 10pm last night to ensure they would get the €50 Dunnes Stores voucher.
The tickets for the vouchers began to be distributed at 6.30am this morning, with the queue running down Bow Street, wrapping around Nicholas Avenue and eventually ending on Church Street.
The tickets given out this morning will be redeemed next Friday when the people will return to pick up their vouchers.
The vouchers can be used to buy food or clothes.
The volunteers working at the centre this morning noted that this is the first Christmas without their founder Brother Kevin Crowley, who died earlier this year.
Watch: People queue in early morning for Christmas vouchers in Dublin
"I'm over 50 years involved at some level or other with the Capuchin Day Centre, but this is our first year without Brother Kevin," centre manager Alan Bailey said.
"I suppose it's a testament to him that we're still here and that we can meet this demand.
"We're saddened at his loss but we keep his work going."
Director of the day centre Fr Kevin Kiernan said the numbers today are up on last year.
"I haven't seen it this busy," he said.
"We get a broad spectrum of people. We get the people that we've known for years. We get newcomers. We get people who are just like, it can happen to any of us.
"So we cater for all, we welcome all people, and we don't ask questions, and that's very important, because we actually don't know what's going on in people's lives.
"Like if you came up dressed in a pin striped suit and wanted a voucher, we give you a voucher because we won't ask. We don't know what's going on in your life. I think that's the best policy."
