The charity each week details what it has been up to in a pew sheet left on the pews of St John's Church for parishioners to read. The sheets are also emailed out to supporters. Usually it details what items are requested for that week - pasta sauce, tinned fruit and tinned meat were the latest asked-for things.  The week was also busy for staff and volunteers helping people pay their bills, especially electricity at this kind of year.

But the pew sheets also occasionally throw up a deeply moving example of the often complex practical support the Canberra charity provides people living on the edge in the national capital.

St John's Care's new programs manager Jason Haines this week wrote about a pregnant, 20-year-old woman who came into the charity recently to escape her abusive and controlling partner.

"When she came in, she was very distraught. Her partner basically controlled everything including the money so it was almost like she had to come up with an elaborate plan to get out,'' he said.

"She got a ride in with a neighbour who often heard the screaming coming from the house. And once she got to us, she basically didn't go back.

"She was very frightened for her life.''

The woman had only a small bag of belongings. She had not eaten. The volunteers settled her down with a cup of tea and biscuit. She needed to get to her family interstate to protect herself and her unborn child.

St John's Care provided her with a bus ticket to South Australia as well as food and warm clothing for the trip.

"The look on her face....It was not just that she was grateful, it was like, 'I'm free','' Jason said.

That assistance was only made possible by financial donations made to St John's Care, which are tax-deductible.

"Without donations from the community, we wouldn't have been able to help that woman get to safety,'' Jason said.