As we write this email we are surrounded by incredible donations from this wonderful community. Since restrictions eased, we have been receiving so many fantastic donations to keep up with the need to help local children. The requests we are receiving on a daily basis are showing us that the impact of the pandemic is very much still here – financial hardship, parents/carers still out of work, and families who were pushed to their absolute limit during home-schooling. Whatever the causes, the bottom line is that children should not have to suffer for deficiencies in our society. We Care has no barriers, if there is a child in need then enough said.
It’s the busiest time of year for We Care Connect as we get ready to help over 1,000 local children with Christmas gifts, 500 children with Back2School items in January, all on top of our normal programs supporting 200+ children each month with essential items like clothing, cots, car seats and nursery items.
Christmas Present Program
Christmas can be a particularly challenging time for many families in need. That’s why we’re calling on the generosity of Central Coast locals to come together so that each struggling family can wake up on Christmas Day with a gift from Santa. We are on track to support over 1000 children and young people with Christmas presents this year – each child will receive at least a lovely main present, some smaller gifts and some fun stocking fillers.
Brand new present ideas include: art & craft, board games, soccer or rugby balls, cricket sets, LEGO, books, barbie dolls, make up for teens, nail polish sets, gift vouchers, toiletries for teen boys.
Presents can be dropped directly to drop off partners (details below), these local Clubs or sent directly to We Care Connect, C/O Wyong Leagues Club, 40 Lake Haven Drive, Kanwal, NSW 2259.
Wyong Rugby League Club, Wallarah Bay Recreation Club, Wyong Bowling Club, Avoca Beach Bowling Club
Please drop off the brand new gifts before Monday 13th December.
We are also collecting Christmas trees/decorations – we’ve been asked to help over 76 families so far this year who don’t have a Christmas tree, way up on last year. Small and medium size tress will be so appreciated, so many of the families needing help are in quite cramped living spaces.
AND… we are helping to provide 350 Christmas hampers for struggling families with the help of some wonderful local businesses.
End 2021 on a positive note by giving back
There’s still time to do a good deed before the end of the year and organise your team’s Volunteer Day ahead of Christmas. Our Team Building With Purpose days will see groups of up to 10 guided to sort, organise and package pre-loved children’s items. Days can take place throughout December, we thought it might be a good alternative to the traditional team building or Christmas get together… or organisations can use it as a pre gettogether ahead of their Christmas Party! The investment is $500 for up to 10 staff, and we’d love each attendee to bring a gift to contribute to our Christmas Present Program. And if it’s all just a little too busy over the next few weeks, we can organise something for 2022!
For more information, please contact helen@wecareconnect.org.au – and please forward this on to anyone you think might be interested!
What we need next…Support our Giving Tree Appeal
Too many children won’t receive a gift this Christmas, together we can change that. Our Christmas Elves are busy preparing and packing presents to go out to local children over the next few weeks. Christmas without a safe cot for a baby to sleep in, or a pram to get to the shops, let alone toys and gifts, is the reality for so many local families right now. Together, we can make these children’s Christmas wishes come true and they won’t go without.
Make a financial donation to our Giving Tree so we can provide a local child with something they will really love: www.wecaregivingtree2021.raisely.com
There are so, so many wonderful groups, businesses and friends organising wonderful collections for disadvantaged children at the moment – we genuinely can’t thank you all enough. One lovely example is the eco friendly and sustainable online retail store, Flora & Fauna, who launched a ‘Surprisingly Better Christmas’ campaign to upcycle toys, you can read all about it here.
Over the next couple of months, we will be supporting around 2,000 disadvantaged children in various programs. Thank you for making this possible.
The We Care Team x
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