The 2009 UnitingCare Christmas Appeal is offically on the way.
Be one of the first to place a gift and help those in need this Christmas

 

For the 18th year, UnitingCare and Target are joining forces to help bring a little Christmas joy to disadvantaged Australians. From Monday 16 November to Wednesday 23 December, gifts and gift cards can be donated at Target stores throughout the country. They are collected by UnitingCare staff and volunteers in each store area, and distributed to local people in need, in time for Christmas morning. In the past 17 years, almost 1.6 million gifts have been donated at Target stores.

Last year, a total of 92,227 gifts (including 85,227 gifts and $104,990 worth of gift vouchers) were donated to the UnitingCare Christmas Appeal. This year, UnitingCare and Target are hoping to collect and distribute 150,000 gifts.

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Thanks to the UnitingCare Christmas Appeal, thousands of disadvantaged Australians received an unexpected gift on Christmas morning. Below are examples of just a few of those people from within Victoria and Tasmania:

 

A family with two children aged eleven and thirteen lost their family farm. Their father has been unable to work full time because he is caring for their mother who is terminally ill with cancer. Various agencies supported this family with food, fuel etc. our appeal was able to complete the support with gifts which would not have been possible otherwise. A very grateful family, were able to share some real Christmas joy.
Cobram

Mary, a 33 year old woman, recently escaped a very violent relationship which has left her alone with her seven children. Mary and her children had been living in emergency accommodation for three months and have just recently found more permanent housing. She had no money for presents. Mary wept as she chose gifts for her children. She said that without the Appeal they would have had nothing this year.
Epping

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A single mother with five children aged between five and sixteen was battling to meet ends meet. She has recently been diagnosed with advanced cancer of the cervix. She was given gifts for her children, toiletries and a gift for herself. When she received the gifts she was overcome by emotion and surprise.
Maryborough

Harry is a thirteen year old boy who has had a troubled life. His parents died when he was an infant and he has lived in a number of institutions and foster care arrangements. He has had contact with our Youth workers through their local schools program. He was so excited to receive a new bike. It was the first new gift he had ever received. He was amazed that total strangers would give him something like that. The youth workers said that it has really helped him to grow in confidence.
Epping

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