It’s almost that time of the year again! Christmas is fast-approaching, bringing with it the joy of family gatherings and gift-giving. However, for some families, the holidays pass by without anything special to look forward to. It serves as a reminder of loneliness and financial hardship for families in need.
Research of the major causes of stress among families seeking relief during this time shows-
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81% of households were worried about affording Christmas gifts for their children.
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77% were concerned about insufficient food supplies.
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89% were unable to pay at least one of their essential bills.
Unfortunately, the holiday season often sees a surge in homelessness and domestic violence cases. Coupled with the cost-of-living crisis, the number of people requiring support during this period rises substantially. This makes Christmas a busy time for charities and shelters, which work overtime to meet this demand.
Your donation, regardless of size, can truly make a difference. This festive season, help GIVIT support the organisations that provide essential goods and services. It can be as simple as donating toys for children or providing grocery gift cards to a struggling family.
What are some frequently needed Christmas donations by families?
Christmas is a demanding time for families. Most people seeking help require necessities to help bring a little joy to their holiday season.
Donate to fulfill Christmas wishes for kids in need -
How does GIVIT support Christmas gift appeals?
GIVIT uses technology to match generosity with genuine need to help donate Christmas gifts/essentials to a family or individual. They work with more than 5,100 partner charities around Australia, including councils, outreach teams, charities and community groups, to identify exactly what’s needed by people around the holidays and at other times as well.
GIVIT aims to have a positive impact on the lives of people and communities in need through effective donation management. With more than $8.3 million in donations since its inception, it’s a system that empowers vital charities and support organisations to help those who need it.
Where to donate unwanted Christmas presents for families in need?
There are thousands of specific needs listed by charities on the GIVIT website. People can use the website to view and fulfil these requests by either donating money or funding the item. You can easily access the list of needed items here. You can donate gifts to a family for Christmas or fulfil a Christmas appeal listed online.
GIVIT Manager, Caroline Odgers, emphasizes that re-gifting through the online charity is an easy and rewarding way to find new homes for donations of unwanted gifts. “A donation of toys can mean a family who has escaped domestic violence can bring in the New Year with joy, and a set of new towels or linen can mean a single dad can set up his new flat. Every day of the year GIVIT matches those who want to give to those in need, but we always see a huge spike during the festive period when many families face increased financial pressure,” said Mrs Odgers.
Some examples of much-needed Christmas donations right now are:
The joy of GIVIT’s past Christmas donations
Each year GIVIT provides relief during the holiday period. People can either fund a gift donation request or give the physical gift and deliver or send it to the charity.
The Kids in Care Christmas Appeal resulted in more than 8,000 new toys being delivered to children in foster care, ensuring smiles on little faces at what can be a very emotional time of year for many youngsters.
Australia’s Biggest Secret Santa national campaign resulted in almost 10,000 toys distributed to families and children in care in QLD, ACT, NSW and WA.
Christmas 2020 saw GIVIT proudly facilitate the distribution of one million Bonds items, including clothing, underwear, baby wear and socks to Australians in need.
“We requested Christmas gifts for families fleeing violence. One three-year-old was worried Santa wouldn’t find them. With donations from your givers, we were able to provide toys to all three children in the family. The mother was so grateful’’ ~ Thank you message from EDVOS family violence service in Melbourne.
Spreading the Christmas spirit to a Mum recovering from illness
GIVIT has assisted HelpingMinds in donating household items to a struggling mother of three children, two of whom are in care. The mum suffered near-fatal health issues before Christmas and had to spend Christmas in a women’s shelter.
Thank you message from HelpingMinds- “I want to take this opportunity to say THANK YOU from all our staff and to all the staff there and donors out there for all their support and help (angels in disguise) and most importantly to the financial support given to all our clients over the year for which they have been most grateful. A year in which we saw prices soaring and cost of living getting so much harder especially for our vulnerable clients who often have very little change left over for Christmas!”
Christmas cheer for a young mum undergoing cancer treatment
Cancer treatment is tough on families, creating financial strain and leaving children vulnerable. It had been especially stressful for this young mum of four, who is also a carer to one of her nephews. Being a young family requiring constant care, the 16-year-old daughter had assumed the role of caregiver while mum underwent treatment. Through an anonymous donor, GIVIT has helped support this family by providing grocery and toy vouchers in time for Christmas
Thank you message from the supporting organisation - “I’m literally sobbing after reading this, I feel so helpless in this situation but to be able to assist where we can, through people like this, is amazing. It will take a lot of unneeded stress off the family for Christmas and enjoy the time they have now. A huge thank you to the anonymous donor!”
Where to donate toys for kids in need this Christmas in Australia?
Good-quality toys can be donated to organisations across Australia through GIVIT. Check the GIVIT website to see toy donations needed near you on our What’s Needed list. If you do not find a request on the GIVIT website that matches what you can donate, list it on the GIVIT online warehouse. Partner charities can access this warehouse and will contact you when your item is needed.
Kindly donate only what’s needed, as excess items will create unnecessary strain on the charity’s resources and hinder their support efforts. Through GIVIT, you know you’re providing a much-needed donation to a person supported by a shelter and ensuring there is no waste and strain on the charity.
What other ways can you support people in need this Christmas?
This Christmas, your generosity, through items or funds, can have a huge impact on someone's life. Here are some of the ways you can help:
How can you make a monetary donation to help families this Christmas?
If you want to make an impact through online money donations, there is a Donation option on the GIVIT website where you can give a fixed amount to the cause. As always 100% of your donation will help buy essentials or Christmas gifts for a family experiencing hardship.
Why donate to GIVIT?
Trusted government partner
GIVIT is a trusted donation management partner of state and local governments.
Donations are tax deductible
GIVIT is a registered charity with DGR status, so your donation over $2 is tax deductible.
Empowering people in need
You’re helping us to support people experiencing hardship with essential goods and services while allowing them to maintain their dignity, safety and independence.
Genuine need
GIVIT's 4,900+ partner charities around Australia work closely with people experiencing hardship to identify exactly what they need.
