Fact Sheet

 

 

·        UnitingCare and Target Australia first joined forces in 1992 to launch a national gift appeal that would make Christmas more special for disadvantaged children and families throughout Australia.  

 

·        In the past 15 years, Australians have embraced UnitingCare’s Christmas Gift Appeal, donating 1,235,174 gifts at Target stores across the nation for children, homeless teenagers, lonely older people and families in crisis.

 

·        Last year, the Australian public donated 116,196 gifts to people in need.

 

·        This year, UnitingCare’s Christmas Gift Appeal will be launched on Monday 10th November. It will run right up until 5pm on Christmas Eve.

 

·        All Australians are encouraged to “play Santa” for someone less fortunate by leaving a gift beneath the UnitingCare Christmas Tree at Target, or contact Bay (below) for information on how to provide gifts for the community local to Prahran Mission.

 

·        The concept of UnitingCare’s Christmas Gift Appeal is simple. Christmas trees are placed at the front of Target stores throughout Australia. People are encouraged to choose a gift tag from the tree, buy or make a suitable gift and donate it beneath the UnitingCare Christmas Tree.  

 

·        Gifts are collected by local UnitingCare agencies for distribution to those who need and would appreciate them most within the local community.

 

·        Unlike other appeals, UnitingCare’s Christmas Gift Appeal aims to distribute gifts to disadvantaged people of ALL ages, including children, teenagers, families and frail older people - who are often forgotten at Christmas.

 

·        UnitingCare’s Christmas Gift Appeal relies on the hard work and dedication of 250 local coordinators and 1250 volunteers who donate a total of 15,000 hours each Christmas to run the appeal.

 

·        Sixteen years after it began, the essence of UnitingCare’s Christmas Gift Appeal still holds true. Australians sharing with those doing it tough when the purse strings are tightest; when the inability to make ends meet is felt in a magnified way; when a gift with no strings attached is the difference between surviving and celebrating Christmas - the season of new life and hope.

 

For further information:

Amanda

National Coordinator - SHARE Christmas Gift Appeal

0418 997 448 or (03) 9251 5285

e: share@victas.uca.org.au