With less than four weeks to go until Christmas, Love In Action Wallan (LIA) is urgently calling on the community to embrace the spirit of giving and support those who need it most.
While the festive season is a joyous occasion for many, it can bring with it a host of challenges and difficult circumstances for those who are struggling to make ends meet. For some, this will sadly mean having to choose between gifts and putting food on the table.
But with the support of LIA and the wider community, hampers filled with essential items can be prepared to support the 300 plus families currently on record, ensuring they have a brighter, more joyful Christmas.
Among financial donations, LIA Wallan President Sarah Brewer called for the donation of non-spoilable food and festive gifts, with no donation too big or too small.
“We’re looking for brand new toys, and definitely looking for financial donations because that allows us to buy the things that don’t come in,” she said.
“We’re also looking for Christmas treats like advent calendars, Christmas chocolates and plum puddings, and also in-date, non-perishable tinned goods as well.
“Some people are coming up with some really creative ideas [as well]. Wallan Primary did a casual clothes donation where the money went to us, we’ve got people who instead of doing KKs in their own businesses, they’re doing KKs for a child they don’t know.”
The cost of living crisis has resulted in unprecedented demand for support from the charity in recent years, with the organisation running out of food twice during the festive season last year, and the year prior, having to supply 150–200 Christmas hampers—double what they had supplied in previous years.
“Unfortunately, no one is guaranteed a hamper, it’s all just what comes in from the community, but at the moment we’ve got huge lists [of families to support], and we’re worried that we won’t be able to meet the demand,” Ms Brewer said.
“This year as well, we’re [supporting] a lot of home owners—people [whose] mortgages have gone up so much, there’s no money left for anything else.
“We also try and help a lot of single people, a lot of the elderly who wouldn’t necessarily get anything for Christmas either.”
Gifts and food can be dropped off at Aldi, Coles, and Woolworths in both Kilmore and Wallan, Casual Cuts Wallan, LJ Hooker Broadford and Wallan, and North Central Review, with donation boxes to be collected by December 7.
Financial donations can be made out to: Love In Action Wallan Inc, BSB: 633 000, Account Number: 192 510 311.
