The Mustard Seed wants to stock up on hand sanitizer and other supplies in anticipation of a swine flu outbreak. (Donna McWilliam/Associated Press)

A Calgary organization that works with homeless people is facing a shortage of tissues and hand sanitizer for flu season.

Mustard Seed spokeswoman Courtney Fliss said the organization, which depends on donations, hopes to double its supplies in anticipation of a swine-flu outbreak.

"We have a desperate need for more than another 1,000 of both items," she said.

Staff encourage handwashing and using hand sanitizers, but Christine Pouliot, who lives in the Mustard Seed's 350-bed shelter, said she is concerned most residents won't take precautions.

"If anyone gets [H1N1 flu] there's going to be trouble," she said. "And most people don't want it but they don't take the precautions, especially the men. They don't do it. The women, some do. But the men, none of them do and it really worries me."

At the Calgary Inter-Faith Food Bank, staff have a pandemic plan in place.

But spokesman Nollind Van Bryce said the organization relies on about 100 volunteers to collect, package and distribute hampers. If too many get sick, the food bank might have to shut down.

"Aside from draining the building, draining whatever the reserves of cash we have at that point, we would just cease operations until the pandemic had passed and then we would again resume collecting donated food for distribution to folks," he said.

Van Bryce said the food book is stocking up on extra hampers and working on lining up more volunteers, just in case.