Where to get help in a crisis

I sit here gasping for air because I am petrified about what the next few weeks might bring.
We are an average family who live within our means, don't really go out or have expensive habits.
Over the past few years we have experienced some serious grief as well as major medical issues, but we have always managed to keep our heads above water, catching up with late payments when times are better.
Now my husband has lost his job. It is just before Christmas, and being a casual there are no entitlements headed our way. Centrelink are telling us they can't do anything for at least two weeks, the major charities have closed their books for the year (who knew that happened at Christmas?), and things are starting to run out.
Due to previous hard times we have already sold anything of value that we could spare, live in a tiny house in a cheap area, and have exhausted every other avenue we can think of.
So what do people do?
I feel like despite our best efforts we are failing in our basic duty as parents to provide for our children.
It is humiliating, but most of all it is frightening.
I know for certain that we will be perfectly fine in a couple of months once work picks up again, but how do people get through in the meantime?
People always say that there is a lot of help out there, so what am I missing?
Don't get me wrong, I know there are a lot of people in far worse positions, but I need to know how we can get through this because right now I feel like I am drowning.