Our Big Kitchen in Bondi has been sent four chefs on secondment after their cafe in Sydney's Woollahra closed its doors. Wayside Chapel is cutting back on group activities to focus on emergency services onsite, and using the afternoons for visiting people. And St Canice's soup kitchen had to close for two weeks, but is aiming to get its volunteers cooking from home in the next week.

Not for profits are moving quickly to work out how they will continue to deliver much-needed services after crucial fundraisers are put on hold and volunteers, which across the sector account for about one quarter of the workforce and in many cases far more, are staying home.