With the time for giving just around the corner, appeals have commenced around the Municipality to give you the opportunity to help people in need this Christmas.

Kiama Salvo’s Food Drive

Kiama Salvos Store has brought back their Christmas Food Drive.

They are asking for non-perishable food, new toys and toiletries to be donated which will later be distributed to women’s shelters, the homeless and ordinary people who are struggling this Christmas.

“With times being tough, I think it is more important to have food and toys for the kids, something physical to use there and then,” says store manager of Kiama Salvos, Janine Heberling.

Woolworths is donating $500 worth of non-perishable food to the Food Drive and a pile of goods have already started to form under the stores Christmas tree.

Kiama Salvos' Manager Janine Heberling (right) with volunteers Alison Johnson, Pauline Templeton and Catherine Archer

“Like always, the community have started to come together and is willing to help out in any way possible. We are super grateful as every bit counts,” Janine says.

For those that would like to give more this Christmas, the store is also now accepting donations for their Christmas Appeal that helps families who are facing homelessness.

Donate to the Christmas Appeal at the Terralong store or online at salvationarmy.org.au, or donate to the Food Drive at the store before 13 December.

Kiama Council's Giving Tree Appeal

The community is invited to donate gifts under Kiama Council’s Giving Trees across the Municipality to ensure local children, up to 14 years, will have something to unwrap on Christmas morning.

The Giving Trees are in the foyer of Council’s Administration Building, Kiama Library, Gerringong Library and Museum and The Pavilion, in partnership with Kiama Rotary.

Unwrapped gifts can be placed under the trees until 8 December.

Jamberoo's contribution to The Salvation Army’s Christmas Appeal

Jamberoo’s Rural Fire Service and Elders Real Estate are once again asking the community to donate to The Salvation Army’s Christmas Appeal that will help struggling families this Christmas.

For many years, the two have organised for non-perishable food to be dropped off to Jamberoo IGA and toys to Elders Real Estate during opening hours, so they can be distributed by The Salvation Army across the Illawarra.

“Last year we got an enormous amount of really good quality donations from Jamberoo which was just wonderful,” says Karen Walker of The Salvation Army.

“We are seeing increased needs this year with cost of living pressures, so it is important that we allow people to donate so we can fully assist those that come to us.

"What we don’t want is for someone to feel alone at this time or feel that they can’t give their children a great Christmas.”

Jamberoo RFS will also again be doing a food drive collection on 11 December, where they go door-to-door asking for donations between 10am and 1pm.

“We usually end up with a ton and a half of food which we take to the Salvation Army to distribute. Last year we also got anonymous donations of $500 through the IGA which we got a few trolleys worth of food from,” says Deputy Captain John Friedmann.

“What we try to do is make sure everyone is looked after, and it is the generosity of the Jamberoo community that enables this to happen.”

People can donate right up until Christmas, but John says they like to get as much as they can early on so families can have the goods before and on Christmas.