SCHOOL INFORMATION PACK - VINNIES CHRISTMAS APPEAL 2020 - Vinnies NSW Schools and Youth
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VINNIES CHRISTMAS APPEAL 2020
SCHOOL
INFORMATION
PACK
This year, Christmas will be like no other. After
the year that no one saw coming, many families
are without jobs and under increased financial
stress, some for the first time in their lives.
With more families facing uncertainty, no one knows
what to expect for Christmas Day. Family feasts,
presents and festive gatherings with loved ones will
all look incredibly different for many people this year
as we celebrate Christmas.
But Vinnies is committed to making Christmas a
time to renew hope. Vinnies continues to provide
shelter, food, clothing, financial support, friendship
and care for tens of thousands of people in NSW,
but the need is still great and we need YOUR help.
WHAT YOU’LL FIND IN THIS PACK
Together, we can renew hope this Christmas. • David’s story
Students, teachers and parents can contribute • Ways to give
in several ways; by raising money, donating • Christmas hamper list
Christmas hampers or other food and hygiene
packs, or by performing simple acts of kindness • Learning resources
such as our Cards of Hope activity. All of our
learning resources will help inspire your students
with how they can respond to the needs of those CONTACT US
around them during this festive season.
For enquiries and to share what your school
We are so thankful for your continued and unfailing is doing for the 2020 Christmas Appeal,
generous support, enabling us to continue reaching please contact: youth.nsw@vinnies.org.au
those experiencing significant hardship across our
We’d love to hear from you!
country. We wish you and your school community
well, and hope that you’ll be encouraged by Please contact your local Vinnies Conference
participating in this year’s special Christmas Appeal. or staff contact for information about the need
for Christmas hampers and delivery details for
If you or someone you love is struggling right now,
your local area. Contact details can be found
please call our helpline on 13 18 12. Vinnies is
on the last page.
always here to help, no eligibility required.
PAGE 1 - VINNIES CHRISTMAS APPEAL - SCHOOL RESOURCES
DAVID’S STORY
David is a hardworking man
and the breadwinner of his
family. But when Covid hit,
his employer closed their
doors overnight, and his job
was gone. Like so many
other Australians, David is
experiencing poverty for the
first time. The income he
used to rely on, the stability
he trusted, gone.
Christmas always puts pressure
on working families. For those
living from pay cheque to pay
cheque, the extra costs of
presents and food are already
hard to handle. “I know the
children are looking forward to
Christmas, but to be honest, I’m scared.
When they wake up in the morning, what will be first conversation with David. “David was in shock
under the tree?” at first, but I assured him he wasn’t going to have to
go through this alone.”
The increase in need can be seen across NSW with
more people turning to Vinnies for help. The surge A food hamper, some fuel and a blanket, may not
means we need to provide more food, more financial seem like the kinds of things that can change a
support, more counselling, and more assistance life – but they are. More than presents under a tree,
than ever before. It’s more than food on the table or food on the table, Vinnies wants to help make
today, it’s confidence in the weeks to come. It’s memories of a Christmas filled with relief.
more than clothes and rent, it’s the sense of security After this gut-wrenching year, we all deserve a
and self-worth that comes with them. Christmas of joy and of hope.
“I was panicking when I lost my job. I was thinking,
how do I feed my children?” David said.
“I was at a friend’s place and she told me that
Vinnies could help me. She told me to call. I’d never
had to ask for help before.”
David called the local Vinnies, and Donna answered
the phone. “Donna made me feel better immediately.
She said she was able to give me a food hamper.
And that’s what actually got us through the first
month. She organised a Woolworths voucher and
fuel card as well” David said. In one phone call she
was able to take a father of three at breaking point,
fearing for his future, and show him that he is going
to be okay. “He cried tears of joy when I said what
we could do for him,” Donna said, remembering her
PAGE 2 - VINNIES CHRISTMAS APPEAL - SCHOOL RESOURCES
WAYS TO GIVE
CHRISTMAS HAMPERS FINANCIAL DONATIONS
Christmas hampers are a beautiful Your generous gift, whatever the
gift. They are given to individuals size, will help us provide immediate
and families who have called upon the help of assistance to those in need during
the St Vincent de Paul Society through their local this crisis. Financial gifts can be transformed into
Conference, Youth Programs or Support Service. much-needed groceries, medication, clothing,
toiletries and help with bills to keep the lights on
Our Christmas Hamper shopping list is a suggestion
during this festive season.
only. You may wish to ask people to donate a whole
hamper or divide up the list for each year group (e.g. There are two ways to participate financially:
Kindergarten – cereal, Yr 1 – pasta etc.) and have a
1) Come together in solidarity as a school
hamper packing day.
community and create your own personalised
Please get in touch with your local Vinnies online school fundraising page here
Conference or staff contact to determine the needs
2) Raise funds as a school offline and then donate
in your area, and to arrange delivery details. Contact
at https://fundraise.vinniesnsw.org.au/donate-to-
details can be found on the last page of this pack.
vinnies/ You may also like to support the appeal
A few things to keep in mind: by simply sharing and promoting this link to show
your school community where to donate.
• Please place food donations into reusable
shopping bags (e.g. canvas), as these are most
manageable for our members and volunteers and
also useful to our recipients.
ACTS OF KINDNESS
It’s not only material and financial
• To uphold the dignity of those receiving the goods,
donations that are needed. Love
please ensure that all food items are not due
and kindness are also really
to expire for 6 months. All items must be non-
needed to instil hope in people
perishable.
who are feeling lonely, anxious and upset. Some
• Look out for packaged food with a Health Star ways your school students can support others:
Rating of 3.5 or above. The more stars, the better!
• Write Christmas cards and deliver them to one of
• If you would like to donate perishable food items our Vinnies services or Conferences to brighten
such as chocolates or ham it is best to do so by someone’s day.
donating a gift voucher so that families can select
• Students aged 16 and over can make welfare and
what they would like during the holidays.
social calls to people in need by joining their local
Christmas Hamper Shopping List Conference or Community Hub. Get in touch with
• Christmas pudding • Pancake mix your local conference about joining.
• Custard • Lollies • Do you know someone personally who is
• Tea • Couscous struggling? A classmate who has been quieter
• Coffee • Cereal lately? Ask if they’re okay, exchange phone
• Milo • Dried fruit numbers and let them know you’re there to listen
• Long life milk • Fruit mince pies and help however you can.
• Sweet biscuits • Savoury biscuits
• We’d love to hear about your students’ acts of
• Candy canes • Muesli bars
kindness for the 2020 Christmas Appeal!
• Fruit cakes • Pasta
Please share what you’re doing with
• Jams • Pasta sauce
youth.nsw@vinnies.org.au.
• Christmas cake • Vegemite
PAGE 3 - VINNIES CHRISTMAS APPEAL - SCHOOL RESOURCESLEARNING
RESOURCES
We’ve created a small suite of Vinnies Christmas
Appeal learning resources to help inspire your
students to do what they can to support one
another and the wider community in the lead up to
Christmas.
CONTACT US
All resources can be downloaded If you have any questions, please contact
your local Vinnies team.
at https://youthnsw.vinnies.org.au/
resources/christmasappeal Please note that due to the impact of
Below is a list of the resources available and the COVID-19, some lines may not be attended at
suggested age groups. All activities could be used all times. If you cannot reach someone to help
as a worksheet, an individual reflection, or adapted with your enquiry using the numbers above,
for a class discussion. please email youth.nsw@vinnies.org.au.
Activities Armidale 02 5776 0200
Cards of Hope activity All stages Bathurst 02 6362 2565
Christmas Chain of Hope activity All stages Broken Bay 0429 333 055
Raise the Rate for Christmas activity Stage 3 - 6 Lismore 02 5612 1365
Facing Unexpected Challenges Maitland/Newcastle 0414 616 291
activity Stage 4, 5 and 6 Parramatta 0487 001 186
Sydney 0477 440 567
Please note: There may be some children in your Wagga Wagga 0417 245 531
class who may be experiencing poverty and the
Wilcannia Forbes 02 6862 5758
impacts of COVID-19, for whom these issues might
trigger a strong emotional response. Wollongong 02 9820 8223
YOUTHNSW.VINNIES.ORG.AU
If you or someone you love is struggling right
now, please call our helpline on 13 18 12.
We will stand by you during this crisis.
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