The Mother Christmas Appeal provides food hampers and gifts to East Gippsland families at Christmas. It is about locals looking out for locals, and acknowledging that Christmas can sometimes be a time of financial strain and not all families experience the joy of sharing a Christmas meal with family and friends.

Community Service Agencies refer families to the Mother Christmas Appeal and hampers and gifts are given without judgement. It is an opportunity for the community to work together to share their best wishes at Christmas time.

A long East Gippsland tradition…

The Mother Christmas Appeal was started by a group of workers at Quantum Support Services in Bairnsdale nearly 20 years ago. Workers were interacting with elderly people living in the community who were lonely or isolated and were spending Christmas without family or friends. Quantum Support Services staff decided to lobby local businesses for donations of food and small gifts and this group of workers were successful in making up 30 hampers for their clients.

The initial success of this first Mother Christmas was so evident, not just for the extra food and gift at Christmas time, but it was also clear the recipients of these gifts felt connected with their community and that someone was watching out for them at Christmas time and they weren't the forgotten ones.

The tradition continues…

Mother Christmas is now a community partnership which involves several community service organisations including , UnitingCare Gippsland, Quantum Support Services, Gippsland Lakes Community Health, Gippsland and East Gippsland Aboriginal Co-operative, Riviera Christian Centre, The Salvation Army, St. Vincent de Paul Society and East Gippsland Shire Council.

Last Christmas saw over 550 hampers and a similar number of toys given right across East Gippsland including remote areas. This significant achievement could not happen without the incredible support of volunteers, workers, local businesses, schools, service clubs and families who contribute in a range of important ways including collecting food, donating money or packaging and distributing hampers and gifts.

Please consider assisting the Mother Christmas Appeal in 2012 by making a donation.